Surname O'kelley - Meaning and Origin

O'kelley: What does the surname O'kelley mean?

The last name O'Kelley is typically an Irish surname. It is derived from the Gaelic “O Ceallaigh”, meaning “descendent of Ceallach”. Ceallach, in turn, is an Irish byname that is made up of two elements; the first being “cell”, meaning “war”; and the second being “ach” from the word “achadh”, which translates to “field”. Thus, the surname essentially means “descendant of the warrior of the fields”.

Originating in the province of Connacht, the O’Kelley family entered County Kilkenny in the late 13th century as part of the Anglo-Norman invasion. Today, most people in Ireland with the surname are located near County Galway. The O’Kelleys were known to be a proud, fierce and respected family with a great reputation for their tenacity and bravery.

O’Kelley is understood to be an uncommon surname even in Ireland, but with the growth of Irish ancestry research, there is an increasing interest in exploring its origins. An O’Kelley family crest can be found featuring a red hand on a black shield, while the motto is given as “Fortem Posce Animum” which translates to something along the lines of “ask for a daring spirit”.

Overall, the O’Kelley family has a rich and vibrant history that is steeped in Irish culture and tradition. With such a description of courage and spirit that the name carries comes a sense of great pride of heritage, resilience and perseverance.

O'kelley: Where does the name O'kelley come from?

The O'Kelley surname is most commonly associated with Ireland, and is of Gaelic origin. The name is derived from the personal name Ceallach, which is translated to mean ‘war-like’ or ‘bright-headed’.

Today, the O'Kelley name is found mostly in the United States, England, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - countries which have all seen significant Irish diaspora in their histories. Additionally, a number of O'Kelleys remain in Ireland.

In the US, the O'Kelley surname is particularly associated with the state of Ohio, where the largest numbers of O'Kelleys are found. In the US, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Texas are the next most popular states containing O'Kelleys.

In Ireland, the O'Kelley surname appears in counties Dublin, Tipperary, Cork, Wexford, Kerry and Galway. O'Kelley families may have been among those who left Ireland during the Great Potato Famine in the mid-1800s, or they may be descendants of one of the UK families that have had the O'Kelley surname for centuries.

As the O'Kelley name is still quite prevalent today, this is an important reminder of our shared history, regardless of where in the world people bearing the surname can be found.

Variations of the surname O'kelley

The surname O’Kelley is an anglicized version of the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh, meaning “descendant of Ceallach (a personal name).” O’Kelley is sometimes spelled O’Kelly in modern contexts and is often found as one of many variants in genealogical records. The spelling could also be changed depending on dialects and eras, for instance, in the 19th century, the spelling was O’Kelley, O’Kealley, and O’Killey. Today, the most common spellings include O’Kelley, O’Kellee, O’Kelly, O’Kelley, O’Kellegher, and O’Kelly.

In English-language countries, the O’Kelley is most commonly found in the United States, Ireland, England, Scotland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Aside from its variants, the surname O’Kelley also has several related surnames such as O’Kelleher, Kelley, O’Callaghan, and Kellie. In Irish language contexts, the Ó Ceallaigh first name is sometimes anglicized as Kelly, and other variants include Kealy, Ceallaighe, Kealy, Ealey, and Keely.

The presence of multiple spelling variants is a common occurrence in family names of Irish origin, as they reflect both the development of speech and the complexity of phonetic similarity. However, the spelling the individual decides to use can often be for convenience or stylistic purpose. Despite variations in spelling, all variants of the surname O’Kelley fall under the same Ó Ceallaigh ancestry.

Famous people with the name O'kelley

• Zechariah O'Kelley (1804–1854), 19th century U.S. Rep from Georgia
• Newport Earl O'Kelley (1873–1934), United States Marine, Medal of Honor recipient
• Harry O'Kelley (1931–2013), American Major League Baseball player
• James O'Kelley (born 1944), American painter
• Terence O'Kelley (born 1965), Irish politician
• Pat O'Kelley (born 1959), American retired NHL hockey player
• Ira O'Kelley (born 1978), American producer
• Joshua O'Kelley (born in 1977), American composer
• Jana O'Kelley (born 1989), Irish model
• Michael O'Kelley (born 1965), American curler

Other surnames

O'Kelly