Kelcay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the bearers of the Kelcay family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in either North Kelsey or South Kelsey in the county of Lincolnshire. Both parishes date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when they were recorded as Northchelesi and Chelsi, respectively. 1 South Kelsey was established in 1262 and was known at that time as Suthkelleseye. It is thought that the place-name means "island, or dry ground in marsh, of a man called Ceol." 2 3

Early Origins of the Kelcay family

The surname Kelcay was first found in Lincolnshire where one of the first records of the name was Brise de Keleseye who was listed there in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. Peter de Keleseve was listed in the same rolls at the same time. 4

It is in this shire that North and South Kelsey are still found today. Over the many years, North Kelsey has remained a small village and civil parish with a population of 959 in 2001 and this includes the small hamlet of North Kelsey Moor. Today, South Kelsey is still smaller village with a population of 571 in 2001. 5

One source claims the name is from Kelsale in Suffolk, 6 but most sources believe the name to be from Lincolnshire. William de Kelesey was listed in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1284 and later Robert Kelsey was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1394. 7

"The Kelseys bear an old Kent name. The ancient Kelseys possessed Kelsey, Beckenham, in the 13th and 14th centuries. In 1659 Colonel Kelsey represented Dover in Parliament, and was lieutenant of Dover Castle. A hundred years since, there were Kelseys in Hawking parish. " 8

Early History of the Kelcay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kelcay research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1550, 1552, 1574, 1645, 1646, 1651, 1667, 1680, 1724 and 1795 are included under the topic Early Kelcay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kelcay Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Kelcay include Kelsey, Kelsy and others.

Early Notables of the Kelcay family

Distinguished members of the family include Brice Kelsey of Lincolnshire; Henry Kelsey (c.1667-1724), "the Boy Kelsey", who was an English fur trader, explorer, and sailor who played an important role in establishing the Hudson's Bay Company.Thomas Kelsey (died c. 1680) became an important figure in the government of Oliver Cromwell. Kelsey enlisted in the New Model Army and fought on the side of Parliament during the English Civil War, displaying a zeal...
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kelcay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kelcay family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Kelcay or a variant listed above: Roger Kelsey settled in Barbados in 1654; Steven Kelsey settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1766; John Kelsey settled in New England in 1756.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.