The name Kellen is an old
Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in the now-lost settlement of Kelland Barton in the county of
Devon. The surname Kellen 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 Kellen family
The surname Kellen 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 Kellen family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kellen research.
Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1712, 1635, 1692, 1679, 1681 and 1685 are included under the topic Early Kellen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Kellen Spelling Variations
Before the last few
hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason,
spelling variations are commonly found in early
Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Kellen were recorded, including Kelland, Kellands, Kellan, Kellen, Keland, Kelan, Kelane, Kellane, Keeland, Kealand, Kellend and many more.
Early Notables of the Kellen family (pre 1700)
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kellen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Kellen family to Ireland
Some of the Kellen family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Kellen family to the New World and Oceana
To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from
England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Kellen family emigrate to North America:
Kellen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Charles Kellen, who settled in Boston Massachusetts the same year
- Teresa Kellen settled in San Francisco, California in 1852
- Mathias Kellen, who landed in Iowa in 1872 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Contemporary Notables of the name Kellen (post 1700)
- Kellen Damico (b. 1989), American former junior tennis player
- Kellen Boswell Winslow Sr. (b. 1957), American former professional football player, inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame, one of the greatest tight ends in the league's history
- Kellen Clemens (b. 1983), American football quarterback
- Kellen Boswell Winslow II (b. 1983), American NFL football tight end for the New York Jets