Eighty Americans from 42 ethnic groups were named yesterday as recipients of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor by the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation.

The medals will be presented to the recipients, all either naturalized or native Americans, at a ceremony Oct. 27 on Ellis Island. That is the day before the 100th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty, the final event of the 1986 Liberty Centennial observances.

The anouncement of the awards was made at a news conference in a midtown restaurant by the president of the foundation, William F. May, and the chairman of the New York Statue of Liberty Centennial Commission, William D. Fugazy.

Honorary medals will also be presented to John Cardinal O'Connor; Lee A. Iacocca, chairman of the foundation, and Mr. May. Reaction by Koch