UK surname
Of English origin, a habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dweller at the calf house."
In the 1881 census there were 102 people recorded with the Kelby surname, ranking it #19,518 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 83, ranked #32,815, down from #19,518 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Toxteth Park and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kelby is 784 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 18.6%.
1881 census count
102
Ranked #19,518
Modern count
83
2016, ranked #32,815
Peak year
1891
784 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Kelby surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Kelby surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 139 | #13,659 |
| 1861 | historical | 409 | #6,283 |
| 1881 | historical | 102 | #19,518 |
| 1891 | historical | 784 | #5,119 |
| 1901 | historical | 158 | #17,507 |
| 1911 | historical | 746 | #5,759 |
| 1997 | modern | 79 | #29,672 |
| 1998 | modern | 79 | #30,080 |
| 1999 | modern | 77 | #30,427 |
| 2000 | modern | 78 | #30,361 |
| 2001 | modern | 72 | #30,813 |
| 2002 | modern | 75 | #30,950 |
| 2003 | modern | 77 | #30,762 |
| 2004 | modern | 72 | #31,488 |
| 2005 | modern | 72 | #31,730 |
| 2006 | modern | 72 | #32,059 |
| 2007 | modern | 75 | #32,079 |
| 2008 | modern | 75 | #32,373 |
| 2009 | modern | 80 | #32,277 |
| 2010 | modern | 78 | #32,848 |
| 2011 | modern | 80 | #32,652 |
| 2012 | modern | 81 | #32,796 |
| 2013 | modern | 84 | #32,745 |
| 2014 | modern | 84 | #32,823 |
| 2015 | modern | 84 | #32,782 |
| 2016 | modern | 83 | #32,815 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Toxteth Park, Manchester and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | London parishes | London 1 |
| 2 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 3 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Kelby surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kelby, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Kelby surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Kelby household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Kelby is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kelby is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Kelby, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Kelby is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name "Caelfbeorht," which means "calf-bright" or "bright as a calf." It is believed to have originated in the 9th or 10th century in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia, England.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landowners and tenants in England compiled by order of William the Conqueror, there are several entries for individuals with the name Kelby or variations such as Chelby and Keleby. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by the late 11th century.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Kelby is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1202, where a certain Robert de Kelby is mentioned. Other early records include William de Kelby, who was a landowner in Norfolk in the 13th century, and John Kelby, who was a member of the Parliament of England in 1339.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, the name Kelby was also associated with several places in England, such as Kelby in Lincolnshire and Kelby in Leicestershire. These place names likely derived from the surname rather than the other way around, as was common in those times.
One notable bearer of the Kelby surname was Sir Nicholas Kelby (c. 1485-1556), who was an English politician and member of the Privy Council during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI. Another was Thomas Kelby (c. 1560-1628), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Rector of Ripon College in Yorkshire.
Other individuals with the surname Kelby include John Kelby (c. 1620-1695), an English Puritan minister and author; William Kelby (1772-1842), an English botanist and naturalist; and Emily Kelby (1849-1925), a British artist and painter known for her landscapes and portraits.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kelby surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 16 Kelbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.02x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lanarkshire | 16 | 5.02x |
| Yorkshire | 15 | 1.54x |
| Middlesex | 12 | 1.22x |
| Lincolnshire | 11 | 6.98x |
| Kent | 9 | 2.68x |
| Gloucestershire | 7 | 3.62x |
| Angus | 6 | 6.57x |
| Devon | 5 | 2.44x |
| Durham | 4 | 1.36x |
| Aberdeenshire | 3 | 3.29x |
| Lancashire | 3 | 0.26x |
| Northamptonshire | 3 | 3.24x |
| Berkshire | 2 | 2.70x |
| Glamorgan | 1 | 0.58x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 0.50x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.66x |
| Perthshire | 1 | 2.26x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.63x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Avondale in Lanarkshire leads with 7 Kelbys recorded in 1881 and an index of 376.34x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Avondale | 7 | 376.34x |
| Evedon | 7 | 35000.00x |
| Leeds | 7 | 12.70x |
| West Dean | 7 | 222.93x |
| Barony | 6 | 7.44x |
| Dundee | 6 | 17.61x |
| Gillingham | 6 | 86.58x |
| Huddersfield | 5 | 35.16x |
| Willesden | 5 | 53.82x |
| Stonehouse East | 4 | 384.62x |
| Gateshead | 3 | 13.67x |
| Glasgow | 3 | 5.30x |
| Little Hale | 3 | 2500.00x |
| Aberdeen Old Machar | 2 | 10.50x |
| Gravesend | 2 | 70.18x |
| Long Buckby | 2 | 232.56x |
| Paddington London | 2 | 5.52x |
| Toxteth Park | 2 | 5.05x |
| Abingdon St Helen | 1 | 46.30x |
| Aldershot | 1 | 14.79x |
| Attercliffe Cum Darnall | 1 | 11.00x |
| Bedminster | 1 | 6.71x |
| Devonport | 1 | 42.37x |
| Englefield | 1 | 769.23x |
| Everton | 1 | 2.68x |
| Folkingham | 1 | 526.32x |
| Isleworth | 1 | 22.83x |
| Islington London | 1 | 1.05x |
| Kemnay | 1 | 181.82x |
| Kings Lynn St Margaret | 1 | 21.98x |
| Lee | 1 | 20.49x |
| Llandaff | 1 | 17.51x |
| Mickleby | 1 | 1666.67x |
| Northampton Priory St | 1 | 17.99x |
| Perth East Church | 1 | 23.98x |
| Rawmarsh | 1 | 28.99x |
| Shoreditch London | 1 | 2.34x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 5.76x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 1.90x |
| Stranton | 1 | 10.13x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kelby surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kelby surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Kelby households.
FAQ
In 1881, 102 people were recorded with the Kelby surname. That placed it at #19,518 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 83 in 2016. That gives Kelby a modern rank of #32,815.
Of English origin, a habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "dweller at the calf house."
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kelby bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.