Surname Keltie - Meaning and Origin
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Keltie: What does the surname Keltie mean?
The surname Keltie is of Scottish origin, and is an occupational name derived from the old Scots term for a tanner of hides. A tanner was a man who treated animal hides to convert them into leather. The surname also has connections to the ancient Celts, and in some cases it is thought to have originated as an anglicized form of the Gaelic personal name Mac an Fhaelaidh, meaning “son of the very dark one”. The presence of Celtic roots in the spelling of the name has frequently been confused with Irish origins, leading to the further misinterpretation that the original bearers of the name were of Irish descent.
Keltie is a sept family of Clan Donald, a Highland Scottish clan descended from the lords of the Isles. However, various branches of the Keltie family settled in different parts of Scotland and beyond. Some of the more common modern spellings of this surname are Kelty, Keltie, Keltay and Keltney.
This ancestral name is also associated with the history of the Anglo-Scottish border. Border raiders took advantage of the warring countries on either side of the border and during the Middle Ages local families were often forced to choose a side. The Keltie family, descended from powerful highland clans, sought refuge in the lowlands, becoming part of the Lowland Clan of Cairns.
Today, the Keltie surname is a proud representation of centuries of family heritage, culture, and identity. It is a reminder of the struggles, triumphs, adversity, and devotion of generations of Kelties throughout the ages.
Order DNA origin analysisKeltie: Where does the name Keltie come from?
Keltie is a family name of Scottish origin. It is believed to have originally been a surname derived from the Old Gaelic ‘Ceallaigh’, which was related to the Viking word ‘Celt’ meaning ‘stranger’ or ‘foreigner’. Today, the Kelties name is most commonly found in Scotland and Northern Ireland, parts of England, Wales, the US, and Canada.
Kelties is a relatively uncommon surname, but there are several known Kelties families today who can trace their roots back to Scotland. There are also a number of Keltie-surnamed people who have migrated to other countries. They are believed to have left Scotland as early as the 16th century, and most likely arrived in the US and Canadian east coast.
Today, Kelties families are spread all over the world. The United States has the highest number of Keltie-surnamed people with over 18,000 individuals identified in the 2000 US Census. Canada is the next largest, with around 4,500 Kelties living there. Other countries with concentrations of Kelties include Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Due to the wide dispersal of the Kelties family name, not all Kelties-surnamed individuals will necessarily be related to one another. As the Kelties name is found all over the world, there are likely to be variations in the spelling of the name depending on which part of the world the individual is from.
Variations of the surname Keltie
Keltie is a surname of Scottish origin, derived from the personal name Colin, which was derived from the Gaelic name Cailean, meaning “young warrior.” Variants, spellings, and surnames of similar origin include Kelt, Keltee, Keltey, Keltie, Kelta, Kelti, Keltie, Keltay, Keltiay, Keltay, and Keltiay.
Kelt is possibly an Olde English derivative, derived from Celt, the ancient Celtic tribes who used to inhabit Great Britain. Kelta may be an Old Norse variant, which evolved from Kelta, which means “valiant.” Keltee, Keltey, and Keltay likely evolved from Keltie, with the spelling variations originating due to dialect differences.
There are several other surnames that have the same origin as Keltie. These include Killen, Killion, Kelty, Kilty, Kelty, Kill, Killey, Kellett, Kilday, Kildry, Kilday, Kildey, Kildee, Kildie, Kiltee, and Kilty. All of these surnames share the same origin, derived from the Gaelic Cailean, meaning “young warrior.”
Apart from the Gaelic variant of Keltie, there are several other different origin surnames that pose the same spelling. These include the German name Keltz, the Dutch name Keltz, the English names Keltie and Kelty, and the Irish name Keltig. All of these surnames have different origins and have been established through their respective countries’ histories.
Famous people with the name Keltie
- Claire Keltie: A Scottish-born journalist and broadcaster, Claire has worked as a freelance news presenter and reporter since 2013. She is currently the host of the BBC One game show Pointless Celebrities and a contributor to ITV's This Morning.
- John Keltie: John was an 18th-century Scottish musician, composer, and flautist. He was the first native-born Scot to become a member of the Royal College of Music in London.
- Alice Keltie: Alice was a British illustrator most famous for her work in the Strand Magazine and other publications. She was considered one of the foremost book illustrators of the 19th century
- Ian Keltie: Ian was a British angling author and magazine editor. He was the founding editor of Trout and Salmon Magazine and authored several books about trout and salmon fishing.
- Rob Keltie: Rob is a British actor, best known for his roles in two long-running BBC dramas, Monarch of the Glen and Casualty. He also appeared in the feature films The World Is Not Enough and Highlander: Endgame.
- Lee Keltie: Lee is a British DJ, broadcaster, and TV presenter. He currently hosts his own show on the UK's Kiss FM network and is a regular host on Sirius XM's BPM. He was previously a presenter on MTV UK.
- Samuel Keltie: Samuel was an ornithologist and naturalist. He was the first naturalist to conduct a survey of the birds of India and wrote several books on the subject, including The Birds of India, Ceylon, and Burma.
- Malcolm Keltie: Malcolm was a British Olympic rower, who competed for the British rowing team at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. He was also a venture capitalist and philanthropist, who founded the Malcolm Keltie Foundation to support the education and welfare of disadvantaged children in the United Kingdom.