Clan Kelly

Clan Kelly is considered an armigerous clan, meaning that it is considered to have had at one time a chief who possessed the chiefly arms, however no one at present is in possession of such arms.

The clan name may be variant of Kelloe, a barony in the lands of Home in Berwickshire.

An early Scottish bearer of the name was William de Kellaw, who was bailiff to Alexander III in 1278.

Another was Richard de Kellow, who is recorded in 1338 as a witness to a charter in Roxburghshire.

The name is also found in Fife and Angus in two place-names, for example Kellie Castle.