Show ContentsKelsch History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Kelsch family

The surname Kelsch was first found in Kirkcudbrightshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Chille Chuithbheirt), part of the present day Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, former county in Southwestern Scotland, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Kelsch family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kelsch research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1890 is included under the topic Early Kelsch History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kelsch Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kells and others.

Early Notables of the Kelsch family

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

Kelsch Ranking

In the United States, the name Kelsch is the 17,713rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Ireland Migration of the Kelsch family to Ireland

Some of the Kelsch family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Kelsch migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kelsch Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Joh Diterick Kelsch, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1737 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Kelsch (post 1700) +

  • Ken Kelsch (1947-2023), American cinematographer, teacher, and Vietnam veteran, known for his guerilla filmmaking style and for Bad Lieutenant (1992), The Last House on the Left (1972) and 100 Feet (2008)
  • RaeAnn Gummer Kelsch (1959-2018), American politician, Member of the North Dakota House of Representatives (1992-2012)
  • Peter James Kelsch, American actor from The Bronx, known for Uptown Girls (2003), 25th Hour (2002) and Oz
  • Christian "Mose" Kelsch (1897-1935), American NFL football placekicker and running back for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1933–1934)
  • Walter Kelsch (b. 1955), former German footballer who played from 1975 to 1989


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)


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