Show ContentsKellock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The rich saga of the Kellock family begins in ancient Scotland among the clans of the Boernician tribe. They lived in Aberdeen (part of the modern Grampian region.)

They may have been descended from Bishop and Saint Cellach (6th century) of Killala in the county of Mayo, the eldest son of Eogan Bél, fourth Christian king of Connaught. 1 Another source presumes the name originated with "Chelioc, or Kulliag (Cornish British), a cock, coileach, in Gaelic, and ceiliog, in Welsh, the C having the sound of K. " 2

Early Origins of the Kellock family

The surname Kellock was first found in Aberdeenshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain), a historic county, and present day Council Area of Aberdeen, located in the Grampian region of northeastern Scotland. More recently, leading seamen in the Commonwealth Navies addressed as "leader", and informally known as "kellicks" from the killick anchor which is the symbol of their rank.

Early History of the Kellock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kellock research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1372 is included under the topic Early Kellock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kellock Spelling Variations

In the many years before the invention of the printing press and the first dictionaries, names and other words were spelled according to sound, often differently with each person who wrote them. Spelling variations of Kellock include Kellogg, Kellock, Kelloch, Kellog, Kellogh, MacKelloch, MacKellock and many more.

Early Notables of the Kellock family

More information is included under the topic Early Kellock Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Kellock family to Ireland

Some of the Kellock family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Kellock migration to the United States +

In many cases, the ancestors of many of these Boernician-Scottish people are just now learning of their Scottish heritage. Since the trip was so arduous, and many were fleeing from poverty itself, settlers brought little with them and often had nothing of their personal history to hand down to their children. Clan societies and highland games have helped to correct this problem in the 20th century. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Kellocks to arrive on North American shores:

Kellock Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • James Kellock, who was a servant, who arrived in Virginia in 1661
Kellock Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Finley Kellock, who arrived in New England in 1725 3
Kellock Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J Kellock, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
  • J.B. Kellock, aged 37, who landed in America from London, in 1893
Kellock Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Wm. Kellock, aged 35, who settled in America, in 1903
  • William Kellock, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Liverpool, in 1904
  • John Kellock, aged 55, who landed in America from Scotland, in 1906
  • Mabel Kellock, aged 5, who immigrated to the United States from Dundee, in 1906
  • John Kellock, aged 60, who immigrated to America from Kirkcaldy, Scotland, in 1909
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kellock (post 1700) +

  • William Kellock (1954-2024), Scottish footballer
  • William "Billy" Kellock (1954-2024), Scottish footballer who scored 77 goals in 298 league games in an 11-year career in the Football League in the 1970s and 1980
  • Brian Kellock (b. 1962), Scottish jazz pianist
  • Alastair Kellock (b. 1981), Scottish rugby union player
  • William "Bill" Kellock, English professional footballer in the 1920's
  • Roy Lindsay Kellock CC (1893-1975), Canadian Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  3. 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)


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