Kelly is a
surname of
Irish origin. The name is a partially
anglicised version of older
Irish names and has numerous origins, most notably from the
Ui Maine. In some cases it is derived from
toponyms located in Ireland and Great Britain; in other cases it is derived from
patronyms in the
Irish language.
Etymology
In many cases Kelly is an
anglicisation of the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh (Irish pronunciation:[oːˈcal̪ˠiː]), which means "descendant of Ceallach", but it can also mean warrior or fighter. The personal name Ceallach has been thought to mean "bright-headed", but the current understanding is that the name means "frequenting churches", derived from the Irish ceall.[1] In other cases the surname Kelly is an Anglicisation of the Irish Ó Cadhla, which means "descendant of Cadhla".[2] The O'Kelly or Kelly of the Clan Brasil Mac Coolechan originated as a chieftain clan of the
Ulaid.[3]
The surname can also be derived from several place names. For example, the surname can be derived from two places in Scotland: Kelly, near
Arbroath; and Kellie, in
Fife. The surname can also be derived from a place name in England: Kelly, in
Devon. This place name is derived from the
Cornishcelli, meaning "wood" or "grove".[4]
Prevalence
The surname is one of the most common in Ireland. It is also very common in
Galloway, and the
Isle of Man.[4] Many Irish immigrated to Galloway before and during the Irish famine. When including all of its variations, the name O'Kelly, Kelly, Kelley, Kellie and the Gaelic form O'Ceallaigh, makes it the most prevalent surname in Ireland. There are approximately half a million people worldwide who bear this name. The name O'Kelly did not spring from a single source, but arose independently in several areas in Ireland, also in Scotland and the Isle of Man and in England. In other areas, notably in Isle of Man, Cornwall and probably in Antrim, the name Kelly arose from Celli, meaning man of the woods.[5]
^Ó Cadhla, Library Ireland (www.libraryireland.com), retrieved 15 December 2010 which is a transcription of: Woulfe, Patrick (1923), Irish Names and Surnames
^John O'Hart, Irish Pedigrees; or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, 5th edition, in two volumes, originally published in Dublin in 1892, reprinted, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976, Vol. 1, p. 820
^
abReaney, Percy Hilde; Wilson, Richard Middlewood (2006), A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.), London:
Routledge, p. 1820,
ISBN0-203-99355-1.
This page lists people with the
surnameKelly. If an
internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that
link by adding the person's
given name(s) to the link.
Kelly is a
surname of
Irish origin. The name is a partially
anglicised version of older
Irish names and has numerous origins, most notably from the
Ui Maine. In some cases it is derived from
toponyms located in Ireland and Great Britain; in other cases it is derived from
patronyms in the
Irish language.
Etymology
In many cases Kelly is an
anglicisation of the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh (Irish pronunciation:[oːˈcal̪ˠiː]), which means "descendant of Ceallach", but it can also mean warrior or fighter. The personal name Ceallach has been thought to mean "bright-headed", but the current understanding is that the name means "frequenting churches", derived from the Irish ceall.[1] In other cases the surname Kelly is an Anglicisation of the Irish Ó Cadhla, which means "descendant of Cadhla".[2] The O'Kelly or Kelly of the Clan Brasil Mac Coolechan originated as a chieftain clan of the
Ulaid.[3]
The surname can also be derived from several place names. For example, the surname can be derived from two places in Scotland: Kelly, near
Arbroath; and Kellie, in
Fife. The surname can also be derived from a place name in England: Kelly, in
Devon. This place name is derived from the
Cornishcelli, meaning "wood" or "grove".[4]
Prevalence
The surname is one of the most common in Ireland. It is also very common in
Galloway, and the
Isle of Man.[4] Many Irish immigrated to Galloway before and during the Irish famine. When including all of its variations, the name O'Kelly, Kelly, Kelley, Kellie and the Gaelic form O'Ceallaigh, makes it the most prevalent surname in Ireland. There are approximately half a million people worldwide who bear this name. The name O'Kelly did not spring from a single source, but arose independently in several areas in Ireland, also in Scotland and the Isle of Man and in England. In other areas, notably in Isle of Man, Cornwall and probably in Antrim, the name Kelly arose from Celli, meaning man of the woods.[5]
^Ó Cadhla, Library Ireland (www.libraryireland.com), retrieved 15 December 2010 which is a transcription of: Woulfe, Patrick (1923), Irish Names and Surnames
^John O'Hart, Irish Pedigrees; or, The Origin and Stem of the Irish Nation, 5th edition, in two volumes, originally published in Dublin in 1892, reprinted, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976, Vol. 1, p. 820
^
abReaney, Percy Hilde; Wilson, Richard Middlewood (2006), A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.), London:
Routledge, p. 1820,
ISBN0-203-99355-1.
This page lists people with the
surnameKelly. If an
internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that
link by adding the person's
given name(s) to the link.