Kelly (surname)
| Kelly | |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɛli/ |
| Language(s) | English |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) |
1. Irish 2. English |
| Other names | |
| See also | Kelly (given name) |
| Families | |
| Clan Kelly (Scotland); Kelly family of Uí Maine (Ireland) | |
Map of Gaelic Ireland showing the territory of the Ulaidh or Ulidia (kingdom) circa 900 A.D.
Kelly /ˈkɛli/ is a surname in the English language. The name has numerous origins. In some cases it is derived from toponyms located in Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England, 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 (IPA:oːˈcal̪ˠiː), which means "descendant of Ceallach " or it can also mean warrior or fighter. The personal name Ceallach has been thought to mean "white-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 Ulaidh.[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 Cornish celli, meaning "wood" or "grove".[4]
Prevalence
The surname is one of the most prevalent surnames in Ireland. It is also very common in Galloway, and the Isle of Man.[4]
People with the surname
A - I
- Archie Kelly, Scottish footballer
- Arvesta Kelly (born 1945), American basketball player
- Autumn Kelly (born 1978), wife of Peter Phillips, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II
- Benedictus Marwood Kelly (1785–1867), British naval officer
- Bernard Kelly (disambiguation), several people
- Bernie Kelly (disambiguation), several people
- Brian Kelly (1931–2005), American actor
- Brian Kelly (born 1961), American football coach
- Brigit Pegeen Kelly (born 1951), American poet
- Barbara Kelly (1924–2007), Canadian-born English actress
- Charles E. Kelly (1920–1985), American soldier
- Charles E. Kelly (cartoonist) (1902–1981), Irish cartoonist
- Charles L. Kelly, US Army helicopter pilot
- Charlie Kelly, multiple people
- Claire Kelly (1934–1998), American actress
- Clare Kelly (1922–2001), English actress
- Colin Kelly (1915–1941), World War II ace pilot
- Craig Kelly (born 1970), British actor
- Darren Kelly (born 1978), Northern Irish footballer
- David Kelly (1944–2003), British civil servant
- David Kelly (born c. 1965), British Manager of Walsall F.C. and previous striker for many teams
- David Kelly (1929-2011), Irish actor
- Dean Lennox Kelly (born 1975), British actor
- De-Anne Kelly (born 1954), Australian politician
- Des Kelly (born 1965), British journalist
- Don Kelly (baseball) (born 1980), American professional baseball player
- Eamon Kelly (actor) (1914–2001), Irish actor and author
- Edward Kelly (disambiguation)
- Ellsworth Kelly (born 1923), American painter and sculptor
- Emmett Kelly (1898–1979), American circus performer
- Eric P. Kelly (1884–1960), American author
- Eugene Kelly (born 1965), Scottish musician
- Fitzroy Kelly (1796–1880), British judge
- Florence Finch Kelly (1858–1939), American journalist and novelist
- Francis Kelly (Canadian politician) (1803–1879)
- Francis Kelly (Medal of Honor) (1860–1938), American sailor
- Frank Kelly (born 1938), Irish actor
- Frederick Kelly (disambiguation)
- Gene Kelly, American actor
- George Kelly (baseball player) (1895–1984), American
- George "Machine Gun" Kelly (1895–1954), American gangster
- George Kelly (musician), American
- George Kelly (psychologist) (1905–1967), American psychologist
- George Kelly (playwright), American playwright and uncle of Princess Grace
- Gerry Kelly (broadcaster), Ulster Television presenter
- Gerry Kelly, Sinn Féin politician
- Grace Kelly (1929–1982), American film actress, aka Princess of Monaco
- Graham Kelly (born c. 1945), English Football Administrator, formerly of The Football Association and The Football League
- Guy E. Kelly, American politician
- Harry Kelly (politician) (1895–1971), Governor of Michigan
- Henry Kelly (born 1946), Irish television presenter
- Henry Kelly (VC), Irish Victoria Cross recipient
- Hugh Kelly (1739–1777), Irish dramatist and poet
- Hugh Kelly (footballer) (born 1923), Scottish international footballer
- Hugh Kelly (goalkeeper) (1919–1977), Northern Irish international footballer
J - M
- Jack Kelly (actor), American actor
- Jackie Kelly (born 1964), Australian politician
- James Kelly (Irish captain) (1929–2003), Irish army officer
- James Kelly (U.S. representative) (1760–1819), U.S. politician
- James A. Kelly, U.S. politician
- James Butler Knill Kelly (1832–1907), Scottish-born Canadian Anglican bishop, later Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church
- James M. Kelly (born 1964), American astronaut
- James M. Kelly (politician) (born 1960), American
- James K. Kelly, American senator
- James Patrick Kelly, American science fiction author
- James Plunkett Kelly (1920–2003), Irish writer, author of Strumpet City
- Janis Kelly (born 1971), Canadian volleyball player
- Jean-Baptiste Kelly (1783–1854), Canadian vicar-general
- Jean Louisa Kelly (born 1972), American actress
- Jill Kelly (born 1971), American actress
- Jim "Spider" Kelly (1912-?), Northern Irish boxer of the 1920s, '30s and '40s
- Jim Kelly (born 1960), American football quarterback
- Jimmy Kelly (American football), NFL player
- Jo Ann Kelly (1944–1990), English blues singer and guitarist
- Joanne Kelly (born 1980), Canadian actress
- John Kelly (architect) (1840 – 1904)
- John B. Kelly, Sr., Olympic medaling rower; father of Grace Kelly and John B. Kelly, Jr.
- John B. Kelly, Jr., aka Jack Kelly, Olympic medaling rower, politician, president of the US Olympic Committee
- John T. Kelly, Jr., American savage
- John Larry Kelly, Jr, Bell Labs scientist who formulated the Kelly criterion
- John Melville Kelly (1877–1962), American artist
- John Norman Davidson Kelly (1909–1997), theologian and principal of St Edmund Hall, Oxford University
- Johnny Kelly (born 1968), American musician
- Karen Kelly Irish camogie player
- Kate Kelly (disambiguation)
- Katherine Kelly, English actress, best known as Becky McDonald in Coronation Street
- Kathy Kelly, pacifist
- Kelly Kelly, ring name of American professional wrestler Barbara Blank (born 1987)
- Ken Kelly (disambiguation)
- Kevin Kelly (editor), Executive editor of Wired
- Kevin T. Kelly (born 1960), American Postmodern Pop Artist
- Kieran Kelly (disambiguation)
- King Kelly (1857–1894), American baseball player
- Klesie Kelly, American soprano
- Lisa Robin Kelly (born 1975), American actress
- Lisa Kelly (born 1977), Irish singer (Celtic Woman soloist)
- Lisa Kelly (Ice Road Trucker), television personality
- Luke Kelly (1940–1984), Irish singer and folk musician
- Luke Kelly (rugby league) (born 1989), Australian Rugby League player
- Maeve Kelly (born 1930), Irish writer
- Marcia Kelly (born 1970), convicted American murderer
- Mark Kelly (disambiguation), several people
- Martin Kelly, English footballer, currently playing for Crystal Palace
- Mary Kelly (artist) (born 1941), American artist and writer
- Mary Jane Kelly (c. 1863 – 1888), British prostitute and victim of Jack the Ripper
- Matthew Kelly (born 1950), British television presenter
- Matthew Kelly (musician), American rock musician
- Melissa R. Kelly (born 1962), Maryland (USA) politician
- Michael Kelly (physicist), New Zealand-British physicist
- Michael Kelly (tenor) (1762–1826), Irish actor, singer and composer
- Michael Kelly (bishop), fourth Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney
- Michael Kelly (sport shooter) (born 1872), American Olympic sport shooter
- Michael Kelly (editor), American writer and editor
- Michael Kelly (Lord Provost), former Lord Provost of the City of Glasgow and businessman
- Michael Kelly (American actor), American actor featured in Dawn of the Dead (2004)
- Michael Eugene Kelly, automotive manufacturing entrepreneur and investment holding businessman
- Mike Kelly (journalist), contemporary American journalist
- Mike Kelly (footballer) (born 1942), English football goalkeeper and goalkeeping coach
- Mike Kelly (outfielder) (born 1970), baseball outfielder
- Mike Kelly (politician), contemporary Australian politician
- Minka Kelly, American actress
N - Z
- Nancy Kelly (1921–1995), American actress
- Natália Kelly (born 1994), Austrian singer
- Ned Kelly (c. 1854 – 1880), Australian outlaw
- Neil Kelly, British rugby league footballer and coach
- Noel Kelly (disambiguation), several people
- Pat Kelly (trade unionist) (1929–2004), New Zealand trade unionist
- Patrick Kelly (disambiguation)
- Paul Kelly (journalist), Australian
- Paul Kelly (musician) (born 1955), Australian singer and songwriter
- Paul Kelly (footballer), Australian
- Petra Kelly (1947–1992), Co-founder of German Green Party
- Richard Kelly (director) (born 1975), American
- Richard Kelly (politician) (1924–2005), American
- Rick Kelly (born 1983), Australian racing driver
- Robert Kelly (poet) (born 1935), American poet
- Robert Sylvester Kelly (born 1967), American singer-songwriter and record producer better known by his stage name R. Kelly
- Ryan Kelly (disambiguation)
- Ruth Kelly (born 1968), British politician
- Scott Kelly (disambiguation), several people
- Sean Kelly (cyclist) (born 1956), Irish
- Stuart Kelly (born 1976), Australian rugby league player
- Sue W. Kelly (born 1936), American politician
- The Kelly Family, European-American musicians
- Thomas Kelly (cricketer)
- Thomas Kelly (Medal of Honor), American Medal of Honor recipient
- Thomas C. Kelly, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Louisville, Kentucky
- Thomas E. Kelly, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation
- Thomas J. Kelly (Irish nationalist)
- Thomas J. Kelly (Medal of Honor), American Medal of Honor recipient
- Thomas R. Kelly, Quaker mystic
- Todd Kelly (born 1979), Australian racing driver
- Tom Kelly (baseball) (born 1950), manager of the American baseball team the Minnesota Twins
- Tom Kelly (engineer) (1932–2004), American aerospace engineer
- Tom Kelly (Gaelic football), footballer
- Tom Kelly (Ireland), media commentator and member of the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland
- Tom Kelly (musician), American songwriter
- Van Kelly, baseball player
- Walt Kelly (1913–1973), American cartoonist
- Walter F. Kelly (1874–1961), American college sports coach
- William Kelly (inventor) (1811–1888), American
- William Kelly (senator) (1786–1834), American
- William Kelly (Guernsey and Blackheath), member of the Plymouth Brethren
- William Osmund Kelly, Flint, Michigan Mayor, 1940–44
- William W. J. Kelly, Lieutenant Governor of Florida, 1865–68
- Wynton Kelly (1931–1971), Jamaican-born jazz pianist
O'Kelly
- Albéric O'Kelly de Galway, chess grandmaster
- Aloysius O'Kelly, Irish painter, brother of James Joseph O'Kelly
- Christopher O'Kelly, Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Don O'Kelly, American actor
- Gabriel O'Kelly, Bishop of Elphin from 1718 to 1731
- James Joseph O'Kelly, Irish politician
- John J. O'Kelly, Irish politician
- Malcolm O'Kelly (born 1974), Irish rugby player
- Michael the O'Kelly, hero created by Manning O'Brine
- Seán T. O'Kelly, the second President of Ireland
- Seumas O'Kelly, Irish author and writer
Kelley
- Abby Kelley (1811–1887), Quaker abolitionist and social reformer; mentor of Susan B. Anthony
- Alton Kelley an American artist
- Ann Kelley, British writer
- Augustine B. Kelley (1883–1957), US Congressman from Pennsylvania
- Brian Kelley (disambiguation), several people
- Charles Kelley, musician
- Clarence M. Kelley (1911–1977)
- David Kelley (born 1949), American objectivist philosopher
- David E. Kelley (born 1956), American television writer and producer
- Dean M. Kelley (1927–1977), American author and religious freedom advocate
- DeForest Kelley (1920–1999), actor, famous for Star Trek
- Devin Kelley (born 1986), American actress
- Edward Kelley (1555–1597), alchemist and spirit medium, possible creator of Enochian
- Florence Kelley (1859–1932), social/consumer safety/civil rights activist
- Francis Kelley (1870–1948), American Roman Catholic Bishop
- Geoffrey Kelley (born 1955), Canadian politician
- Harold Kelley, psychologist
- Harold Kelley (rugby league), Australian rugby league footballer
- Homer Kelley (1907–1983), American golf instructor
- Ike Kelley (born 1944), American football player
- Honora Kelley (1857-1938), American female serial killer
- Jack Kelley, disgraced American journalist
- Jacquelyn Kelley (1926–1988), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
- James H. "Dog" Kelley (1833-1912), mayor of Dodge City, Kansas, from 1877 to 1881
- Jill Kelley (born 1975), American socialite and volunteer military liaison; connected with 2012 scandals involving Generals David Petraeus and John R. Allen, as well as the FBI
- Joseph James Kelley (1871–1943), American baseball player
- John L. Kelley (1916–1999), mathematician
- Johnny Kelley (1907–2004), American long-distance runner
- Josh Kelley, singer/songwriter
- Kevin Kelley (boxer)
- Kevin Daniel Kelley, American drummer with The Byrds
- Kitty Kelley (born 1942), American journalist and author
- Mike Kelley (artist) (1954–2012), American artist
- Mike Kelley (baseball) (1875–1955), American baseball player and manager in the minor leagues
- Mike Kelley (American football), American football quarterback for San Diego Chargers
- Oliver Hudson Kelley (1826–1913)
- Paul X. Kelley (born 1928), 28th Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps
- Peter Kelley (born 1974), American weightlifter
- Sheila Kelley Actress, Founder of S-Factor, Granddaughter of Senator Gus Kelley
- Thomas Kelley (author)
- William "Pig-Iron" Kelley (1814–1890), Quaker abolitionist, US Congressman from Pennsylvania
References
- ↑ Learn about the family history of your surname, Ancestry.com, retrieved 17 December 2010, which cited: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4, for the surnames "Kelly".
- ↑ 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
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Reaney, Percy Hilde; Wilson, Richard Middlewood (2006), A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.), London: Routledge, p. 1820, ISBN 0-203-99355-1 .