NameCensus.

UK surname

Kellam

From an English place name meaning "at the ridges," referring to a person who lived near ridges or hills.

In the 1881 census there were 175 people recorded with the Kellam surname, ranking it #13,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 206, ranked #19,183, down from #13,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Foleshill, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars and Sheffield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Nottingham, Ashford and East Cambridgeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kellam is 249 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.7%.

1881 census count

175

Ranked #13,982

Modern count

206

2016, ranked #19,183

Peak year

1911

249 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kellam had 175 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 206 in 2016, ranked #19,183.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 249 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Kellam surname distribution map

The map shows where the Kellam surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Kellam surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kellam over time

The 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 119 #15,247
1861 historical 55 #27,007
1881 historical 175 #13,982
1891 historical 216 #14,107
1901 historical 221 #14,212
1911 historical 249 #12,951
1997 modern 248 #15,363
1998 modern 246 #15,864
1999 modern 247 #15,932
2000 modern 239 #16,239
2001 modern 233 #16,260
2002 modern 244 #16,085
2003 modern 238 #16,144
2004 modern 234 #16,416
2005 modern 230 #16,583
2006 modern 228 #16,789
2007 modern 219 #17,425
2008 modern 217 #17,693
2009 modern 219 #17,960
2010 modern 226 #17,942
2011 modern 214 #18,436
2012 modern 219 #18,087
2013 modern 224 #18,080
2014 modern 220 #18,471
2015 modern 209 #19,018
2016 modern 206 #19,183

Geography

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Where Kellams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Foleshill, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Sheffield, Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Nottingham, Ashford, East Cambridgeshire and Rotherham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Foleshill Warwickshire
2 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
3 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Coventry Holy Trinity (incl. Radford), Coventry St Michael, Wyken Warwickshire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Nottingham 004 Nottingham
2 Ashford 005 Ashford
3 East Cambridgeshire 001 East Cambridgeshire
4 Ashford 006 Ashford
5 Rotherham 020 Rotherham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kellam

These lists show first names that appear often with the Kellam surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kellam

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Kellam, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Kellam surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Kellam household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kellam is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kellam is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kellam falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kellam is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Kellam, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kellam

The surname KELLAM has its origins in England, with records dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "cyl" or "cele," meaning cold or chill, and the word "ham," meaning a homestead or village. This suggests that the name may have originated from a place name describing a cold or chilly dwelling or area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KELLAM can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where a person named Robert de Kelham is mentioned. This name is likely derived from the village of Kelham in Nottinghamshire, which was originally spelled as "Keleham" in the Domesday Book of 1086.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms such as Kelham, Kellam, and Kelem in records from Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, and Norfolk. One notable bearer of the name during this period was Richard de Kelham, who was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire in 1284.

By the 14th century, the KELLAM spelling had become more prevalent, with records showing instances of the name in Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, and Essex. One prominent figure from this era was John Kellam, a merchant and alderman of Norwich, who was born around 1350 and served as the city's mayor in 1388.

In the 16th century, the name KELLAM continued to be found in various parts of England, with records showing individuals bearing the name in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk. One notable bearer from this period was Thomas Kellam, a landowning gentleman from Cley-next-the-Sea in Norfolk, who was born around 1520 and served as a Justice of the Peace.

During the 17th century, the KELLAM name became more widespread across England, with records showing bearers in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. One significant figure from this era was Captain Thomas Kellam, a naval officer born in 1624 in Norfolk, who commanded several ships in the Royal Navy and played a role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars.

As the centuries progressed, the KELLAM surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with bearers contributing to various fields, including agriculture, trade, and military service. Notable individuals with this surname include John Kellam, a 19th-century English cricketer who played for Sussex County Cricket Club, and Sir Roger Kellam, a prominent architect and civil engineer from the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kellam families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kellam surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Leicestershire leads with 69 Kellams recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.25x.

County Total Index
Leicestershire 69 36.25x
Warwickshire 18 4.16x
Yorkshire 17 1.00x
Lincolnshire 12 4.37x
Northamptonshire 11 6.81x
Middlesex 10 0.58x
Monmouthshire 6 4.83x
Staffordshire 6 1.04x
Norfolk 5 1.89x
Nottinghamshire 5 2.16x
Lancashire 4 0.20x
Kent 3 0.51x
Rutland 3 23.81x
Cheshire 2 0.53x
Derbyshire 2 0.74x
Sussex 2 0.69x
Isle of Man 1 3.14x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 20 Kellams recorded in 1881 and an index of 43.09x.

Place Total Index
Leicester St Margaret 20 43.09x
Foleshill 18 395.60x
Waltham On The Wolds 18 5142.86x
Hathern 10 1298.70x
Stamford St Michael 10 1282.05x
Nether Hallam 9 39.11x
Peakirk 9 6428.57x
Barrow Upon Soar 7 445.86x
Hammersmith London 7 16.55x
Burton Upon Trent 6 44.25x
Chepstow 6 284.36x
Clawson 6 1363.64x
Ashwellthorpe 5 2272.73x
Sutton In Ashfield 5 99.60x
Ecclesall Bierlow 4 11.56x
Blackfordby 3 491.80x
Sheffield 3 5.54x
St Peters 3 110.70x
Toxteth Park 3 4.35x
Barlestone 2 476.19x
Hampstead London 2 7.48x
Hartshorn 2 196.08x
Market Overton 2 869.57x
Stamford Baron St Martin 2 232.56x
Stockport 2 10.26x
Bisbrooke 1 625.00x
Humberstone 1 64.10x
Ilkley 1 35.97x
Leicester St Mary 1 6.50x
Manthorpe Cum Little 1 47.62x
Market Bosworth 1 144.93x
Newick 1 156.25x
Northiam 1 140.85x
Onchan 1 10.89x
Shoreditch London 1 1.34x
St Benedict Lincoln 1 270.27x
West Derby 1 1.68x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Kellam surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 13
Eliza 6
Elizabeth 6
Martha 5
Ellen 4
Jane 4
Sarah 4
Ann 3
Annie 3
Emma 3
Ada 2
Charlotte 2
Florence 2
Hannah 2
Susan 2
Agnes 1
Amy 1
Barbara 1
Beatrice 1
Betsy 1
Birtha 1
Caroline 1
Constance 1
Edith 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Grace 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Ida 1
Julia 1
Kezia 1
Lois 1
Lydia 1
Mahlah 1
Margaret 1
Marth 1
Nelly 1
Patience 1
Priscilla 1
Prudence 1
Rosa 1
Rosetta 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1
Therza 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Kellam surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

FAQ

Kellam surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kellam surname in 1881?

In 1881, 175 people were recorded with the Kellam surname. That placed it at #13,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kellam surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 206 in 2016. That gives Kellam a modern rank of #19,183.

What does the Kellam surname mean?

From an English place name meaning "at the ridges," referring to a person who lived near ridges or hills.

What does the Kellam map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kellam bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.