Show ContentsKealan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient history of the Kealan name begins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the family resided in the now-lost settlement of Kelland Barton in the county of Devon. The surname Kealan belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Kealan family

The surname Kealan was first found in Devon where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Painsford in Asprington, some say before the Norman Conquest of England by Duke William of Normandy in 1066 A.D. Professor Seary of Newfoundland suggests that there was also a Kelland Barton in Devon but he has been unable to find it. This may have been a family tradition.

Early History of the Kealan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kealan research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1635, 1679, 1681, 1685, 1692 and 1712 are included under the topic Early Kealan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kealan 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 Kealan include Kelland, Kellands, Kellan, Kellen, Keland, Kelan, Kelane, Kellane, Keeland, Kealand, Kellend and many more.

Early Notables of the Kealan family

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kealan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kealan 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 Kealan or a variant listed above: Michael Kelan settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1848; Charles Kellen also settled in Boston Massachusetts the same year; Teresa Kellen settled in San Francisco Cal. in 1852. In Newfoundland, Canada, Mary Kelland settled at Scilly Cove in 1792.



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