McKell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The origins of the McKell name lie with England's ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It comes from when the family lived near a well or spring; keld was a common word in the north of England for these. According to some experts, the surname McKell is also occasionally derived from the Old Norse word ketill, which means cauldron and sometimes refers to such an object used in sacrificial rites. [1]

Early Origins of the McKell family

The surname McKell was first found in Hampshire, but the name could have derived from the place name Keld of which there are two in England: Keld (or Keilde), a hamlet in Cumbria; and Keld, another hamlet in North Yorkshire. Another reference claims the name was "formerly written Cail, and said by the family to be derived from Cailly in Normandy. " [2]

Early History of the McKell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McKell research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1176, 1311, 1379, 1524, 1739 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McKell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKell Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name McKell were recorded, including Kell, Kel, Kelle, Keld and others.

Early Notables of the McKell family

More information is included under the topic Early McKell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McKell family to Ireland

Some of the McKell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McKell migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the McKell family emigrate to North America:

McKell Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joe McKell, who arrived in Texas in 1850-1906 [3]

McKell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Annie McKell, aged 9, who immigrated to the United States from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1909
Lizzie McKell, aged 4, who immigrated to the United States from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1909
Margaret McKell, aged 11, who landed in America from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1909
Margaret McKell, aged 31, who immigrated to America from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1909
Jeanette McKell, aged 1, who settled in America from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1909
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McKell migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McKell Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas McKell, Scottish convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Egyptian" on 5th April 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [4]
Agnes McKell, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Blundell"

Contemporary Notables of the name McKell (post 1700) +

Michael McKell (b. 1959), English actor and singer/songwriter
Sir William John McKell GCMG (1891-1985), Australian statesman

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 26th January 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/egyptian