NameCensus.

UK surname

Kellas

A Scottish surname derived from a place name involving the Gaelic words "coille" (woods) and "eas" (waterfall).

In the 1881 census there were 220 people recorded with the Kellas surname, ranking it #12,087 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 276, ranked #15,673, down from #12,087 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Logie-Coldstone, Strathdon and Glenbuchat. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Aboyne and South Deeside, Crathes and Torphins and Keith and Fife Keith.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kellas is 289 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 25.5%.

1881 census count

220

Ranked #12,087

Modern count

276

2016, ranked #15,673

Peak year

2000

289 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kellas had 220 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,087 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016, ranked #15,673.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 249 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Kellas surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kellas surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kellas 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 136 #13,892
1861 historical 150 #15,296
1881 historical 220 #12,087
1891 historical 249 #12,813
1901 historical 239 #13,489
1911 historical 24 #30,800
1997 modern 261 #14,849
1998 modern 280 #14,550
1999 modern 279 #14,670
2000 modern 289 #14,272
2001 modern 279 #14,408
2002 modern 281 #14,619
2003 modern 268 #14,897
2004 modern 272 #14,843
2005 modern 276 #14,579
2006 modern 276 #14,700
2007 modern 285 #14,527
2008 modern 285 #14,647
2009 modern 285 #14,944
2010 modern 287 #15,195
2011 modern 282 #15,233
2012 modern 277 #15,375
2013 modern 278 #15,618
2014 modern 276 #15,788
2015 modern 268 #16,007
2016 modern 276 #15,673

Geography

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Where Kellas' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Logie-Coldstone, Strathdon, Glenbuchat, Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn and Rothes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Aboyne and South Deeside, Crathes and Torphins, Keith and Fife Keith, Lossiemouth East and Seatown and Winchester. 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 Logie-Coldstone Aberdeen
2 Strathdon Aberdeen
3 Glenbuchat Aberdeen
4 Glenmuick, Tullich and Glengairn Aberdeen
5 Rothes Elgin

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Aboyne and South Deeside Aberdeenshire
2 Crathes and Torphins Aberdeenshire
3 Keith and Fife Keith Moray
4 Lossiemouth East and Seatown Moray
5 Winchester 013 Winchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kellas

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kellas

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Kellas surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Kellas household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Inner London Working Professionals

Within London, Kellas is most associated with areas classed as Inner London Working Professionals, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. 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

These primarily Inner London neighbourhoods are more densely populated than the Supergroup average. Residents have a younger over-all age profile than the Supergroup as a whole, and are less likely to be owner occupiers. Full time employment is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup and multiple car ownership is uncommon. Chinese and non-EU-born European migrants are less in evidence than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Kellas is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kellas falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kellas is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kellas

The surname KELLAS is of Scottish origin, with its roots traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "cailleach," which means "old woman" or "nun." The name was likely used initially as a nickname or a descriptive term for someone associated with a convent or a religious order.

KELLAS is thought to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Aberdeenshire and Angus. In the early days, the name was often spelled as "Keloch" or "Kelloch," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that were common in medieval times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KELLAS surname can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a certain "William Keloch" is mentioned. This historical document provides evidence of the name's existence and usage during that period.

In the 16th century, the KELLAS name was associated with the Clan Chattan, a powerful Scottish clan based in the Highlands. Sir Duncan Kellas (c. 1550-1620) was a prominent member of the clan and served as a ambassador for King James VI of Scotland.

Another notable figure bearing the KELLAS surname was John Kellas (1714-1779), a Scottish mathematician and philosopher. He was a professor at the University of Glasgow and made significant contributions to the field of natural philosophy.

In the 19th century, the KELLAS name gained recognition through the work of Robert Kellas (1808-1888), a Scottish artist and engraver. His intricate engravings of Scottish landscapes and scenes earned him widespread acclaim.

The surname KELLAS has also been linked to several place names in Scotland, such as Kellas in Moray and Kellas in Aberdeenshire. These place names likely originated from the presence of individuals bearing the KELLAS surname in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the KELLAS surname throughout history include:

1. William Kellas (1772-1847), a Scottish minister and author. 2. Robert Kellas (1838-1911), a Scottish-born Australian politician and judge. 3. George Kellas (1871-1937), a Scottish football player and manager. 4. Isobel Kellas (1913-2005), a Scottish writer and broadcaster. 5. David Kellas (born 1958), a Scottish professional golfer.

While the KELLAS surname may have evolved and spread over the centuries, its Scottish roots and connections to the Highlands and Clan Chattan remain deeply ingrained in its history and heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kellas families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kellas 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 151 Kellas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 76.33x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 151 76.33x
Banffshire 26 58.68x
Morayshire 15 45.19x
Kincardineshire 7 26.91x
Lancashire 5 0.20x
Middlesex 5 0.23x
Yorkshire 3 0.14x
Herefordshire 2 2.28x
Midlothian 2 0.70x
Norfolk 2 0.61x
Argyllshire 1 1.68x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Cabrach in Aberdeenshire leads with 28 Kellas' recorded in 1881 and an index of 5600.00x.

Place Total Index
Cabrach 28 5600.00x
Aberdeen Old Machar 21 50.85x
Glenbucket 21 5675.68x
Strathdon 13 1354.17x
Glengairn 10 10000.00x
Mortlach 10 462.96x
Inverurie 9 401.79x
Kildrummy 9 1875.00x
Marnoch 9 378.15x
Elgin 8 123.84x
Newhills 7 172.84x
Fettercairn 6 540.54x
Inveravon 6 317.46x
Auchindoir Kearn 5 450.45x
Kincardine O Neil 5 354.61x
Kinloss 5 632.91x
Kirkdale 5 11.73x
Peterhead 5 47.80x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 4 10.81x
Hornsey 4 14.81x
Towie 4 727.27x
Wortley In Bramley 3 17.90x
Forgue 2 112.36x
Kenchester 2 3333.33x
Methlick 2 126.58x
Scarning 2 408.16x
Aberlour 1 70.92x
Campbeltown 1 13.95x
Crathie Braemar 1 84.75x
Dyce 1 117.65x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 1 14.77x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.87x
Fordoun 1 68.49x
Forres 1 28.65x
Hampstead London 1 3.01x
King Edward 1 43.86x
Logie Coldstone 1 151.52x
Rothes 1 61.73x
Tarland 1 116.28x
Tullynessle Forbes 1 136.99x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 2
Ellen 2
Mary 2
Alice 1
Lucy 1
Maggie 1
Margaret 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 4
Alexander 1
Allexandra 1
Hugh 1

Top occupations

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 Kellas households.

FAQ

Kellas surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kellas surname in 1881?

In 1881, 220 people were recorded with the Kellas surname. That placed it at #12,087 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kellas surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 276 in 2016. That gives Kellas a modern rank of #15,673.

What does the Kellas surname mean?

A Scottish surname derived from a place name involving the Gaelic words "coille" (woods) and "eas" (waterfall).

What does the Kellas map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Kellas 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.