The Kelly family crest, primarily associated with the Irish O'Kelly clan of Ui Maine (County Galway), features a blue shield with two silver lions supporting a triple-turreted tower, often with gold chains, and a green enfield (stag) on a coronet in the crest, beneath the motto "Turris Fortis Mihi Deus" (God is my strong tower), symbolizing strength, loyalty, and faith. The name comes from Gaelic Ó Ceallaigh, meaning "descendant of Ceallach," a personal name meaning "bright-headed" or "warrior".
2. Kelly Family Crest. The second most common surname in Ireland, Kelly is believed to be derived from the Anglicized version of the Gaelic name, Ó Ceallaigh. The motto found on the family crest, “Turris Fortis Mihi Deus”, meaning “God is my Tower.” The Kelly family crest is usually depicted using blue and gold.
Kelly is a surname with a number of origins, but most commonly it is Irish (where it is still one of the most prevalent names).
The Kelly Family is a European-American music group consisting of a multi-generational family, usually nine siblings who were joined occasionally on stage in their earlier years by their parents.
Several different Kelly, O'Kelly or Ó Ceallaigh families held sway in several parts of Ireland, including south county Dublin, Galway in the west and parts of modern day Tyrone in the north. Tadhg Mór Ó Ceallaigh, from the Galway clan, went to war as one of the main allies of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland.
The oldest recorded surname in Ireland is generally considered to be Ó Cléirigh (O'Clery/Cleary), appearing as early as the 10th century with records of Lord Tigherneach Ua Cleirigh in 916 AD, making it one of Europe's earliest documented surnames, originating from a learned family of clerics or scholars in Connacht. Other very ancient names include Brennan, Cahill, Kennedy, and O'Brien, with some surnames like O'Brien, O'Sullivan, and O'Neill becoming very prominent later.
Meath) were equal in importance to those O'Kellys of Ui Maine, but the impact of the Anglo-Norman invasion dispersed them. There are approximately 50,000 Kellys and O'Kellys in Ireland today. It is the second most common Irish surname, not far behind Murphy in numerical strength.
Etymology. In many cases Kelly is an anglicisation of the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh (Irish pronunciation: [oː ˈcal̪ˠiː]), which means "descendant of Ceallach", but it can also mean warrior or fighter.
Kelly is a gender-neutral baby name of Irish origin. Meaning "descendent of Ceallach" this name is packed with history and mystery alike. Kelly is an Anglicized name of the family name Ó Ceallaigh.
Descended from an O'Kelly of county Kilkenny, the Kelly family were established in county Limerick by the early 18th century.
The surname was established in the United States by the early 19th century, and it began to be used as a masculine name in the later 19th century. Feminine usage first appeared in the 1940s and surpassed masculine usage around 1957 due to the popularity of the American actress Grace Kelly.
In popular US television, fictional first name Kellys (f) have been portrayed as a lot of negative stereotypes: unintelligent, clueless, spoiled, vapid, self-absorbed, superficial, and/or mean. Sometimes they're all of these things together.
Early Origins of the Kelly family
The Kelly surname is conjecturally descended from King Colla da Crioch, who died in 357 A.D. Henry II, King of England reigned from 1154 to 1189; so one may presume there is a relationship between the Irish and the English families, but this is the extent of our research at this time.
Kelly green is an intense, pure green that sits between blue and yellow in the color wheel. Its hex code is #4CBB17. Named after the common Irish family name, Kelly, it is reminiscent of the lush green Irish landscape. It is also commonly associated with the colors of St.
The O'Neills were perhaps the greatest of the Irish clans, whose origins date back as far as the 10th century and whose lineage includes two High Kings of Ireland.
There are several early Irish saints who bore this name. Kelly is now the most common of all surnames in Ireland. Scottish: habitational name from either the lands of Kelly, near Arbroath (Angus), Kellie in Carnbee (Fife), or Kelly in Methlick (Aberdeenshire).
Kelly Clan Motto/Slogan: Turris Fortis Mihi Deus Translation: "God is a strong tower to me."
My favorite Irish names with Anglicized spellings are Aidan, Caitlin, Connor, Desmond, Owen, Finn, Maeve, Patrick, Ronan, Rory, and Rowan. There's a lot of beauty in Irish names!
Common diminutives include Kel, a universally recognized shortening, and the playful Kells used among friends and family. Some use Ella or Elle, derived from the latter portion of the name, while others opt for the endearing Keke or K. K.
The Kelly Name Numerology details is Numerology Number 2, Destiny Number 2, Inner Dream Number 8, Soul Urge Number 3, Personality Number 8, & Heart's Desire Number 3.
The name Kelly has its origins in Irish Gaelic, where it derives from the word ceallach, which means bright-headed. This etymology suggests that the name Kelly was used to describe someone with fair or light-colored hair. Throughout history, the name Kelly has been prominent in various cultures and regions.
How common is the last name Kelly in the United States? Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Kelly" has seen a slight decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Kelly ranked as the 69th most common surname, while in 2010, it dropped five spots to rank 74th.
The name Kelly is widely distributed across Ireland, but most concentrated in census data around Galway, Meath, Roscommon, and Wicklow. There are variations of the name, all deriving from the name Ó Ceallaigh, meaning descendant of Ceallach, which is of uncertain origin itself.
The oldest recorded surname in Ireland is generally considered to be Ó Cléirigh (O'Clery/Cleary), appearing as early as the 10th century with records of Lord Tigherneach Ua Cleirigh in 916 AD, making it one of Europe's earliest documented surnames, originating from a learned family of clerics or scholars in Connacht. Other very ancient names include Brennan, Cahill, Kennedy, and O'Brien, with some surnames like O'Brien, O'Sullivan, and O'Neill becoming very prominent later.
Over centuries, the name evolved, and as Irish people emigrated to different parts of the world, they brought their names with them. This is how "Kelly" became a name known and used far beyond the shores of Ireland.