|
![Show Contents]() Kel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The present generation of the Kel family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived near a well or spring; keld was a common word in the north of England for these. According to some experts, the surname Kel 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 Kel familyThe surname Kel 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 Kel familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kel research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1176, 1311, 1379, 1524, 1739 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Kel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kel Spelling VariationsUntil the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Kel include Kell, Kel, Kelle, Keld and others. Early Notables of the Kel familyDistinguished members of the family include - Ansfredus Kelle, a prominent 12th century landholder in Hampshire
 Migration of the Kel family to Ireland
Some of the Kel 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.
| Kel migration to the United States | + |
Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Kel were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:
Kel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Peeter Kel, who arrived in New York in 1709 3
- 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)
|
Kel migration to the United States 
England
Ireland
