Kelly

The name Kelly, as it arises in Ireland, seems to be a variant of ‘O ceallaigh’, ‘son of Ceallach’. This seems to have been a personal name, possibly meaning ‘strife’, and has become the second most popular name throughout the whole of Ireland and the sixth most common name in Ulster. There is, therefore, the possibility that the name arises in Scotland from the same derivation, but Black gives other possible explanations. The name may be a variant of Kelloe, an old barony in the lands of Home, in Berwickshire. Kelloe is also a place name in Durham and Kellah is found in Northumberland. William de Kellawe was bailiff to Alexander III in 1278. Richard de Kellow was a witness to a charter in Roxburghshire in 1338. The name is found in its more familiar form in Fife and Angus, where there are two lands bearing this name, including the magnificent Kellie Castle, restored last century by the architect Sir Robert Lorimer. John de Kelly is listed as Abbot of Arbroath in 1373. The Mackellies found in Galloway and Wigtownshire are most likely to be of Celtic descent. The only certain reference to Kelly of that Ilk is found in Nisbet, who describes the arms of a black saltire between four blue fleur de lis all on a gold field. The earldom of Kellie has always been a dignity, or title of honour, of the Erskine family.