Surname Kellie - Meaning and Origin

Kellie: What does the surname Kellie mean?

The surname Kellie is of ancient Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic word “Ceallach” meaning strife or contention. It could also be potentially associated with the Gaelic elements “ceall” meaning church, and “ach” meaning field, thus translating to the “field of the church.” This could signify that the ancestors of the Kellie family may have lived or worked near a church. The name Kellie first surfaced in the region of Fife in Eastern Scotland and many historical records of the Scottish gentry bear the surname. Therefore, the surname Kellie symbolizes a historic lineage of noble bearing from Scotland with connotations to physical locations like a church or field or even traits such as strife or contention.

Kellie: Where does the name Kellie come from?

The surname Kellie is considered to be of Scottish origin, thought to have first been used in the region of Fife, Scotland. It is derived from the Gaelic word "Cille", which translates to "cell". This commonly referred to a church or a small room in a monastery, would indicate that the ancestors of the Kellie family occupied such a role or came from such a place.

In the early 15th century a man named Richard de Kellie was lord of that region, but it wasn't until the 16th century that the surname began to expand outward from its birthplace. It has been traced back to a migration to Ireland under the variant "Kelly".

Today, it remains common in Scotland, but is also found in English-speaking countries like America, Canada, England, and Australia. Regardless of where it's found, its prevalence is not high as it's an uncommon surname. It is most likely to be encountered in its country of origin, Scotland. This migration of people has resulted in the wide distribution of the family name.

Variations of the surname Kellie

The surname Kellie appears to have a Scottish or Irish origin mainly associated with a place name in Fife, Scotland.

There are several variants and spellings for Kellie. These may include Kelli, Kellay, Kielley, Kellye, Kelliegh, Kelliy, and Kellis among others. It's also noted that due to pronunciation similarities, Kelly, Keillie, Keilly and Kelley may be linked to Kellie as well.

Sometimes a surname's spelling gets altered due to an ungrammatical literacy level of the individuals who originally took that name as their own. This is why we might see such a wide variety of surnames that sound very similar to Kellie.

There's also the possibility of the surname Kellie originating from families bearing the surnames O'Kelly or MacKellie, as prefixes like "O" and "Mac" were often dropped when families emigrated from Ireland and Scotland.

It might be challenging to accurately trace the lineage due to these variables in spelling, as well as migration and cultural assimilation. Nonetheless, commonality in spelling and pronunciation suggests a potential common origin of these surnames.

Famous people with the name Kellie

• Jodie Kellie: British actress known for roles in films like "Welcome to Sarajevo" and "Wonder Woman."
• Sharna Kellie: Australian model and TV presenter known for being an ambassador for the Philipp Plein and Alessandro Michele fashion lines.
• David Kellie: British actor known for his roles in the Harry Potter film franchise.
• James Kellie: Former professional Australian football player and coach.
• Josephine Kellie: British film and television actress known for her roles in the popular British soap opera “EastEnders”.
• Adam Kellie: Former professional American basketball player who was drafted in the first round of the 1999 NBA Draft.
• Emma Kellie: English ballerina with the Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet.
• Alan Kellie: Famous English featherweight professional boxer.
• Declan Kellie: Irish professional golfer who won the PGA EuroPro tour in 2010.
• John Kellie: Lead singer of the popular Irish rock band Thin Lizzy.

Other surnames

Kellizy