Show ContentsMcCelyck History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In the ancient Scottish-English border region, the ancestors of the name McCelyck lived among the Boernician clans and families. They lived in Aberdeen (part of the modern Grampian region.)

They may have been descended from Bishop and Saint Cellach (6th century) of Killala in the county of Mayo, the eldest son of Eogan Bél, fourth Christian king of Connaught. 1 Another source presumes the name originated with "Chelioc, or Kulliag (Cornish British), a cock, coileach, in Gaelic, and ceiliog, in Welsh, the C having the sound of K. " 2

Early Origins of the McCelyck family

The surname McCelyck was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland. More recently, leading seamen in the Commonwealth Navies addressed as "leader", and informally known as "kellicks" from the killick anchor which is the symbol of their rank.

Early History of the McCelyck family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McCelyck research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1372 is included under the topic Early McCelyck History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McCelyck Spelling Variations

Since medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, and since there were no consistent rules for the translation of rules from Gaelic to English, spelling variations are extremely common in Boernician names of this vintage. McCelyck has been spelled Kellogg, Kellock, Kelloch, Kellog, Kellogh, MacKelloch, MacKellock and many more.

Early Notables of the McCelyck family

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

Ireland Migration of the McCelyck family to Ireland

Some of the McCelyck family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McCelyck family

Many of the Boernician-Scottish families who crossed the Atlantic settled along the eastern seaboard in communities that would become the backbone of the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. In the War of Independence, American families that remained loyal to the Crown moved north into Canada and became known as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestral culture of all of these proud Scottish families remains alive in North America in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name McCelyck or a variant listed above: James Kellock, who was a servant, who arrived in Virginia in 1661; Alice Kellogg, who came to Hartford, CT in 1637; Daniel Kellogg, who arrived in Connecticut in 1651.



  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.


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