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There are approximately 117,696 people named Kelly in the UK. That makes it the 55th most common surname overall. Out of every million people in the UK, approximately 1,863 are named Kelly.

Region of origin

British Isles

Country of origin

Ireland

Language of origin

Gaelic

Religion of origin

Christian

Classification

Celtic


Related and similar surnames

Caley
Kelley
Kalley
Kaley
Kailey
Kahley
Kallie
Kall
Kalie
Ckelly
Cally
Caely
Cailly
Caylly
Callye
Caeley
Ckely
Kally
Kaelly
Kailly
Kaehly
Kaylly
Kaely
Kaly
Kaeley
Kaaly
Kallya
Kayly
Kaily

The Kelly surname in historical dictionaries

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857)

(origin: Gaelic and Welsh.) A grove, generally of hazel. Kill or Cille, in the Gaelic and Celtic, denotes a church.

Arthur, William (1857) An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain.

Patronymica Britannica (1860)

KELLY. KELLEY. The Kelleys were in old times resident in the parish of that name in Devonshire, and the Irish Kellys, now very numerous, bear the same arms. According to the genenlogy in B.L.G., the Kellys of Kelly " may look back beyond the Conquest and derive themselves from the ancient Britons !" Mr. Shirley says: " Kelly is a manor in the hundred of Lifton, about six miles from Tavistock. The manor and advowson have been in the family at least from the thue of Henry II, and here they have uninterruptedly resided since that very early period." Noble and Gentle Men, p. 59. Tlie similar name Kellie is a diminutive of Charles. See Kell.

Lower, Mark A (1860) Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom. London: J.R. Smith. Public Domain.

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