Meaning and origin
The last name Kelley originates from the Gaelic Ó Ceallaigh, meaning "descendant of Ceallach." Ceallach, derived from the Old Irish "ceall," referred to a church or a cell, and the name likely denoted someone living near or associated with a church. The Kelley surname is most commonly found in Ireland and has ancient roots tracing back to the medieval Irish kingdom of Ui Maine. Over time, variations of the name emerged, including Kelly, Kelleher, and O'Kelly, reflecting regional influences and the anglicization of Gaelic names during British colonization.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#198
Kelley was the 198th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 140,693 people, about 48 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Kelley
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Kelley is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.