Kelian History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the name Kelian date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Kelian family lived in the now-lost settlement of Kelland Barton in the county of Devon. The surname Kelian 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 Kelian family

The surname Kelian 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 Kelian family

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

Kelian Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Kelian are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Kelian include: Kelland, Kellands, Kellan, Kellen, Keland, Kelan, Kelane, Kellane, Keeland, Kealand, Kellend and many more.

Early Notables of the Kelian family

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

Kelian migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Kelian or a variant listed above:

Kelian Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Alvis Kelian, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 1

Citations +

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)