Kelly Surname

Exploring the Origins of the Kelly Surname

The surname Kelly is one with a rich history and a fascinating origin. It is a name that is deeply rooted in several countries around the world, with the United States having the highest incidence of individuals with this surname. In the US alone, there are over 338,000 people with the last name Kelly, making it a common and widespread surname. However, the origins of the Kelly surname can be traced back to Ireland, where it is believed to have originated.

The Irish Connection

In Ireland, the surname Kelly is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Ceallaigh, which means 'descendant of Ceallach'. Ceallach is a personal name that is derived from the word 'ceall', which means 'strife' or 'contention'. This suggests that the original bearer of the surname Kelly may have been a person who was known for their fierce and contentious nature.

The Kelly surname is one of the most common surnames in Ireland and has a long and storied history in the country. It is believed to have originated in the province of Connacht in western Ireland, where the Ó Ceallaigh clan held significant power and influence. The clan is said to have been descended from King Colla da Crioch, a legendary figure in Irish mythology.

Migration and Spread

Over time, the Kelly surname spread beyond Ireland to other parts of the world, particularly to countries like the United States, England, Australia, and Canada. In England, there are over 79,000 individuals with the surname Kelly, making it a relatively common name in the country. Similarly, in Australia, there are over 49,000 people with the last name Kelly, reflecting the Irish influence in the country.

In the United States, the Kelly surname has a particularly strong presence, with over 338,000 individuals carrying the name. This is likely due to the large influx of Irish immigrants to the US during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of these immigrants were fleeing famine and poverty in Ireland and sought a better life in the US, bringing their Irish heritage and surnames with them.

Notable Kellys

Throughout history, there have been many notable individuals with the surname Kelly. One of the most famous Kellys is Grace Kelly, an American actress who became the Princess of Monaco after marrying Prince Rainier III. Grace Kelly was known for her beauty, elegance, and talent, and her marriage to the prince captured the world's attention.

Another famous Kelly is Gene Kelly, an American actor, dancer, and singer who is best known for his roles in classic musical films like "Singin' in the Rain" and "An American in Paris". Gene Kelly was a pioneering figure in the world of dance and is widely regarded as one of the greatest dancers in the history of film.

Conclusion

The Kelly surname is a name that is deeply rooted in Irish history and has spread to many other parts of the world. It is a common surname with a rich and fascinating origin, and has been borne by many notable individuals throughout history. Whether you are a Kelly by birth or by marriage, the surname Kelly is a name that carries with it a sense of history, tradition, and pride.

The surname Kelly within the globe

Globalization has meant that surnames distribute far beyond their country of origin, so that it is possible to locate African surnames in Europe or Indian surnames in Oceania. The exact same takes place in the case of Kelly, which as you can corroborate, it can be said that it's a surname that may be found in all the countries of this globe. In the same way you can find nations in which undoubtedly the thickness of men and women with all the surname Kelly is more than in other countries.

The map associated with Kelly surname

View Kelly surname map

The possibility of examining on a globe map about which nations hold a greater number of Kelly on earth, helps us plenty. By putting ourselves on the map, for a tangible country, we are able to begin to see the tangible amount of people using the surname Kelly, to obtain in this way the complete information of all Kelly that one can presently find in that country. All this also assists us to comprehend not only in which the surname Kelly arises from, but also in what manner the individuals that are initially the main family members that bears the surname Kelly have moved and moved. Just as, you can see by which places they will have settled and grown up, which is why if Kelly is our surname, it appears interesting to which other nations associated with the globe it will be possible this one of our ancestors once moved to.

Nations with additional Kelly on the planet

  1. United States United States (338139)
  2. England England (79641)
  3. Ireland Ireland (57639)
  4. Australia Australia (49490)
  5. Canada Canada (35125)
  6. Scotland Scotland (15615)
  7. Nothern Ireland Nothern Ireland (9740)
  8. South Africa South Africa (8366)
  9. Jamaica Jamaica (5642)
  10. Brazil Brazil (5400)
  11. New Zealand New Zealand (4996)
  12. Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (4763)
  13. Kenya Kenya (3415)
  14. Wales Wales (2715)
  15. Nigeria Nigeria (2467)
  16. Iran Iran (2406)
  17. Syria Syria (1470)
  18. Argentina Argentina (1457)
  19. Aruba Aruba (1257)
  20. Bahamas Bahamas (1143)
  21. Mexico Mexico (1087)
  22. Mauritania Mauritania (1051)
  23. Chad Chad (963)
  24. Indonesia Indonesia (962)
  25. Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (932)
  26. Spain Spain (868)
  27. France France (817)
  28. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia (789)
  29. Germany Germany (706)
  30. Panama Panama (618)
  31. Senegal Senegal (617)
  32. Netherlands Netherlands (608)
  33. Isle of Man Isle of Man (580)
  34. Singapore Singapore (530)
  35. Iraq Iraq (524)
  36. Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago (477)
  37. Liberia Liberia (400)
  38. Ivory Coast Ivory Coast (387)
  39. Colombia Colombia (384)
  40. Philippines Philippines (381)
  41. Belize Belize (376)
  42. Morocco Morocco (375)
  43. Tanzania Tanzania (369)
  44. Solomon Islands Solomon Islands (341)
  45. Honduras Honduras (310)
  46. Costa Rica Costa Rica (243)
  47. Venezuela Venezuela (232)
  48. Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis (225)
  49. Cameroon Cameroon (222)
  50. Denmark Denmark (221)
  51. Switzerland Switzerland (204)
  52. Ecuador Ecuador (199)
  53. Portugal Portugal (198)
  54. Sweden Sweden (193)
  55. India India (184)
  56. United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates (183)
  57. Nicaragua Nicaragua (179)
  58. Chile Chile (177)
  59. China China (175)
  60. Japan Japan (166)
  61. Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (162)
  62. Fiji Fiji (157)
  63. Bahrain Bahrain (147)
  64. Jersey Jersey (142)
  65. Cayman Islands Cayman Islands (142)
  66. Malaysia Malaysia (119)
  67. Luxembourg Luxembourg (114)
  68. Belgium Belgium (110)
  69. Lebanon Lebanon (109)
  70. Barbados Barbados (109)
  71. Botswana Botswana (94)
  72. Yemen Yemen (82)
  73. Guatemala Guatemala (79)
  74. French Polynesia French Polynesia (74)
  75. Greece Greece (71)
  76. Uruguay Uruguay (70)
  77. Bermuda Bermuda (70)
  78. Hong Kong Hong Kong (69)
  79. Mali Mali (68)
  80. Malta Malta (66)
  81. Norway Norway (65)
  82. Ghana Ghana (62)
  83. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (62)
  84. Thailand Thailand (60)
  85. U.S. Virgin Islands U.S. Virgin Islands (57)
  86. Guyana Guyana (54)
  87. Italy Italy (54)
  88. Peru Peru (53)
  89. New Caledonia New Caledonia (47)
  90. Estonia Estonia (42)
  91. Czech Republic Czech Republic (41)
  92. Uganda Uganda (41)
  93. Israel Israel (41)
  94. Guernsey Guernsey (37)
  95. Kuwait Kuwait (37)
  96. Cyprus Cyprus (35)
  97. Guam Guam (33)
  98. Qatar Qatar (32)
  99. Mauritius Mauritius (32)
  100. Gibraltar Gibraltar (30)
  101. Taiwan Taiwan (29)
  102. Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo (26)
  103. Vietnam Vietnam (25)
  104. Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda (21)
  105. South Korea South Korea (21)
  106. Suriname Suriname (21)
  107. Niger Niger (20)
  108. Hungary Hungary (19)
  109. Poland Poland (18)
  110. Benin Benin (18)
  111. British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands (18)
  112. Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (17)
  113. Burkina Faso Burkina Faso (16)
  114. Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos Islands (15)
  115. Slovakia Slovakia (13)
  116. Oman Oman (13)
  117. Paraguay Paraguay (13)
  118. Cuba Cuba (12)
  119. Monaco Monaco (12)
  120. Finland Finland (12)
  121. Zambia Zambia (11)
  122. Cambodia Cambodia (11)
  123. Cook Islands Cook Islands (11)
  124. Montserrat Montserrat (11)
  125. Malawi Malawi (10)
  126. Angola Angola (10)
  127. Saint Lucia Saint Lucia (10)
  128. Haiti Haiti (10)
  129. Mozambique Mozambique (9)
  130. Sierra Leone Sierra Leone (9)
  131. Swaziland Swaziland (9)
  132. Togo Togo (9)
  133. Afghanistan Afghanistan (8)
  134. Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (8)
  135. Pakistan Pakistan (8)
  136. Egypt Egypt (8)
  137. Palestinian Territory Palestinian Territory (8)
  138. Greenland Greenland (7)
  139. Anguilla Anguilla (6)
  140. Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo (5)
  141. Turkey Turkey (5)
  142. Ukraine Ukraine (5)
  143. Romania Romania (5)
  144. Samoa Samoa (4)
  145. Sudan Sudan (4)
  146. Grenada Grenada (4)
  147. Madagascar Madagascar (4)
  148. Iceland Iceland (4)
  149. Rwanda Rwanda (4)
  150. Vanuatu Vanuatu (4)
  151. Namibia Namibia (3)
  152. Norfolk island Norfolk island (3)
  153. Georgia Georgia (3)
  154. El Salvador El Salvador (3)
  155. Kazakhstan Kazakhstan (3)
  156. Austria Austria (3)
  157. Bulgaria Bulgaria (3)
  158. Myanmar Myanmar (3)
  159. Falkland Islands Falkland Islands (3)
  160. Albania Albania (2)
  161. Armenia Armenia (2)
  162. Nepal Nepal (2)
  163. Libya Libya (2)
  164. Bangladesh Bangladesh (2)
  165. Croatia Croatia (2)
  166. Brunei Brunei (2)
  167. Ethiopia Ethiopia (2)
  168. Gabon Gabon (1)
  169. Seychelles Seychelles (1)
  170. Jordan Jordan (1)
  171. Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan (1)
  172. Guinea Guinea (1)
  173. Cape Verde Cape Verde (1)
  174. Nauru Nauru (1)
  175. Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea (1)
  176. Northern Cyprus Northern Cyprus (1)
  177. East Timor East Timor (1)
  178. Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (1)
  179. Lesotho Lesotho (1)
  180. Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina (1)
  181. Djibouti Djibouti (1)
  182. Tuvalu Tuvalu (1)
  183. Montenegro Montenegro (1)
  184. Algeria Algeria (1)
  185. Burundi Burundi (1)
  186. Mongolia Mongolia (1)
  187. Eritrea Eritrea (1)
  188. Macao Macao (1)
  189. Northern Mariana Islands Northern Mariana Islands (1)
  190. Bolivia Bolivia (1)
  191. Serbia Serbia (1)
  192. Micronesia Micronesia (1)