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![Show Contents]() Kelehar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Ireland
Irish surnames are linked to the long Gaelic heritage of the Island nation. The original Gaelic form of the name Kelehar is "O Ceileachair," which means "companion dear." 1 Another source claims the name means "wise, prudent." 2 Early Origins of the Kelehar familyThe surname Kelehar was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. They "derive their sirname from Ceileachar, son of Donchuan, brother of Brian Borimhe [Boru], the 175th Monarch of Ireland. In the twelfth and even so late as the sixteenth century, the O'Kellehers were possessed of lands in Munster; but the pedigree of the family is, we fear, lost." 2 The oldest record of the family was of Donogh O'Kelleher, successor of St. Kieren of Siager (Bishop of Ossory) who died in 1048. MacLysaght noted that the family left their original habitat in County Clare in the 14th century and moved to County Cork. 3 Early History of the Kelehar familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kelehar research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1014 is included under the topic Early Kelehar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kelehar Spelling VariationsMany variations of the name Kelehar were found in archives from the Middle Ages. These variations can be somewhat explained by the challenge of translation of Gaelic names into English. Hence, the spelling and language in which the people's names were recorded was often up to the individual scribe. Variations of the name Kelehar found include Kelleher, O'Kelleher, Kellehar, Kellegher and others. Early Notables of the Kelehar familyMore information is included under the topic Early Kelehar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Kelehar familyIrish families began leaving their homeland for North America in the late 18th century. These families were usually modestly well off, but they were looking forward to owning and working on a sizable tract of land of their own. This pattern of emigration continued until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine sparked a major exodus of destitute and desperate Irish people. These people were not leaving for a grant of land in North America because by this time the East Coast had reached its saturation point and free land was scarce. They were merely looking to escape the disease, starvation, and hopelessness that Ireland had fallen into. Although these unfortunate immigrants did not receive a warm welcome by the established populations in the United States and what would become Canada, they were absolutely critical to the rapid development that these two nations enjoyed. They would help populate the western lands and provide the cheap labor required for a rapid industrialization. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many early bearers of the name Kelehar or one of its variants: Patrick Kellegher, who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1850; Cornelius, John and Patrick Kellehar settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1855 and 1878.
- Grehan, Ida, The Dictionary of Irish Family Names. Boulder: Roberts Rinehart Publications, 1997. Print. (ISBN 1-57098-137-X)
- O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
- MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
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