Surname Keelty - Meaning and Origin

Keelty: What does the surname Keelty mean?

The surname Keelty is Irish in origin and is derived from the Irish surname O'Ceallaigh, a patronymic surname. The literal meaning of the name is "descendant of Ceallach"; Ceallach itself stems from the Old Irish word ceallach, meaning "frequenter of churches". It is believed that this name would likely have originally referred to someone who was a frequent visitor or worshipper at a particular church.

The vast majority of those who bear the Keelty name are believed to have descended from the Ó Ceallaigh clan who were the ruling family of the Lough Gill barony in County Sligo, Ireland, from the late twelfth century to the Tudor conquest. Keeltys have since spread throughout Ireland, where the name remains most frequent in the province of Connacht, and then further afield to sporadically scattered locations in the rest of the world.

The Keelty surname has also been associated with seafarers, and members of the family were believed to have sailed with the Spanish Armada. Tracing its roots back to the middle ages, Keelty has been borne by numerous people of note throughout Irish history and is well known today.

In today's times, the Keelty surname is seen as solid, reliable and respected, representing a hardworking and persistent family name which has been passed down through the generations.

Keelty: Where does the name Keelty come from?

The last name Keelty is most commonly found in Ireland and Great Britain today. While the last name is not prominent in the United States, there are scattered stories of individuals in several areas of the country who carry the Keelty name.

Keelty can be traced back to the Irish surname Ó Caoiltaigh, which originated in the province of Leinster. In the sixteenth century, it was recorded as a sept of the Ui Muiredaigh clan in Offaly and further branches of the name were established in County Sligo and County Mayo.

Although there is a lack of solid records, it is believed that the Keelty name was brought to America sometime in the late 1700s by immigrants from Ireland and Britain. This is evident in the United States Census records, which list individuals born in different states with the last name Keelty.

In the current day Ireland, Keelty is most commonly found in counties Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick, Tipperary, and Wexford. In England, the Keelty name is commonly found in Kent, Essex, and the West Midlands. Individuals with the Keelty surname can also be found in various countries around the world, such as Canada, Australia, and Lusophone countries like Brazil and Portugal.

Variations of the surname Keelty

The surname Keelty is of Irish origin and is most commonly found in Ireland, Scotland, and the United Kingdom. There are various spellings, variants, and surnames of the same origin. Some of the most commonly seen variant spellings of Keelty include Keely, Kiely, Kealy, and Kealty.

The surname Keelty is derived from a Gaelic surname meaning ‘descendant of Ceallach’, Ceallach being a personal name, meaning ‘strife or contention’. It can also be derived from the word ‘ceall’, meaning ‘church’.

The related surname Kealy represents a Anglicized version of the Gaelic surname ‘O Ceallachain’, which means ‘descendant of Ceallachain’. Other meaning of Kealy include ‘son of the shoemaker’ and ‘tall and thin’.

The related surname Keely is derived from the Gaelic ‘O Céalusaigh’, which means ‘one who is lively’. Another form of the surname Keely is derived from the English word ‘coiley’ or ‘coyle’, which means ‘quarrelsome’.

There are several variant spellings of the surname Kealy, such as Kearley, Kearly, Keerly, and Keirle. Similarly, there are also variant spellings of the surname Keely, such as Kiely, Keill, and Neal.

Famous people with the name Keelty

• Patrick Keelty: Formerly the Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police
• Jeffrey Keelty: Former Australian Defence Force officer
• Lee Keelty: Professional race car driver
• Patrick Keelty: Formerly the Commissioner of the Irish Police
• John Keelty: Former Australian newsreader and radio personality
• Eoin Keelty: Irish soccer player
• Maurice Keelty: Professional boxer
• Noel Keelty: Irish Catholic priest
• Aidan Keelty: Irish rugby union player
• Joseph Keelty: American lawyer and politician

Other surnames

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