NameCensus.

UK surname

Kellett

Derived from a place name meaning "spring in a grove" or "hard spring" in Old English.

In the 1881 census there were 2,599 people recorded with the Kellett surname, ranking it #1,715 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,366, ranked #2,015, down from #1,715 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Halifax, Birstall and Preston. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Bradford and Leeds.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kellett is 3,616 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 29.5%.

1881 census count

2,599

Ranked #1,715

Modern count

3,366

2016, ranked #2,015

Peak year

1911

3,616 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kellett had 2,599 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,715 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,366 in 2016, ranked #2,015.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,616 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Kellett surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kellett surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Kellett 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 1,092 #2,572
1861 historical 1,141 #2,461
1881 historical 2,599 #1,715
1891 historical 2,740 #1,721
1901 historical 3,430 #1,621
1911 historical 3,616 #1,445
1997 modern 3,332 #1,938
1998 modern 3,440 #1,945
1999 modern 3,464 #1,959
2000 modern 3,502 #1,935
2001 modern 3,412 #1,936
2002 modern 3,486 #1,944
2003 modern 3,391 #1,955
2004 modern 3,379 #1,960
2005 modern 3,334 #1,958
2006 modern 3,302 #1,985
2007 modern 3,343 #1,972
2008 modern 3,362 #1,984
2009 modern 3,413 #2,004
2010 modern 3,472 #2,009
2011 modern 3,439 #2,002
2012 modern 3,402 #1,976
2013 modern 3,463 #1,982
2014 modern 3,474 #1,988
2015 modern 3,414 #2,002
2016 modern 3,366 #2,015

Geography

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Where Kelletts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Halifax, Birstall, Preston, Bradford and Leeds. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Bradford, Leeds and Preston. 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 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Birstall Yorkshire, West Riding
3 Preston Lancashire
4 Bradford Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Leeds Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 064 County Durham
2 Bradford 061 Bradford
3 Leeds 104 Leeds
4 Leeds 095 Leeds
5 Preston 009 Preston

Forenames

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First names often paired with Kellett

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Kellett

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Kellett surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Kellett household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Kellett 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

Kellett is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kellett falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Kellett is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Kellett

The surname Kellett is of English origin, originating in the northern English counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "calf" and "hyll," meaning "calf hill" or "hill where calves graze." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a particular hill or elevated area associated with grazing calves.

The earliest recorded instances of the Kellett surname date back to the 13th century, with references found in various historical records and documents. One notable mention is in the Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire from 1332, which lists a John de Kellet among the landowners of the region. This early spelling variation, "Kellet," highlights the name's connection to a specific place or location.

In the 14th century, the Kellett surname appeared in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, located in Yorkshire, further solidifying its presence in the northern English counties. The Wakefield Court Rolls from 1379 mention a William de Kellet, demonstrating the continued use of the locative prefix "de" in association with the surname.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Kellett surname was Sir John Kellett, a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Lancashire in the early 15th century. He served in this capacity during the reign of King Henry VI, from 1422 to 1461. Sir John Kellett's influence and landholdings in the region contributed to the widespread recognition of the family name.

Another notable figure bearing the Kellett surname was Sir Roger Kellett, who lived in the 16th century. He served as the Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1554 and played a significant role in the local governance and administration during the Tudor period.

In the 17th century, the Kellett surname was associated with the village of Kellet, located in the historic county of Lancashire. This place name likely derived from the same linguistic roots as the surname, further reinforcing the connection between the name and the geographical location.

One of the most distinguished individuals with the Kellett surname was Sir Henry Kellett (1806-1875), a British naval officer and Arctic explorer. He embarked on several expeditions to the Arctic regions, including the search for the ill-fated Franklin expedition in the mid-19th century. Sir Henry Kellett's achievements and contributions to Arctic exploration brought significant recognition to the Kellett name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Kellett families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kellett 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. Yorkshire leads with 1,153 Kelletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.58x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,153 4.58x
Lancashire 884 2.93x
Cheshire 138 2.46x
Durham 137 1.81x
Middlesex 47 0.18x
Derbyshire 31 0.78x
Leicestershire 30 1.06x
Cumberland 19 0.87x
Denbighshire 19 1.98x
Surrey 19 0.15x
Staffordshire 18 0.21x
Isle of Man 16 3.39x
Worcestershire 13 0.39x
Midlothian 9 0.26x
Lanarkshire 7 0.09x
Northumberland 7 0.19x
Wigtownshire 7 2.07x
Devon 6 0.11x
Huntingdonshire 6 1.19x
Lincolnshire 6 0.15x
Kent 4 0.05x
Northamptonshire 4 0.17x
Gloucestershire 3 0.06x
Somerset 3 0.07x
Warwickshire 3 0.05x
Glamorgan 2 0.05x
Hampshire 2 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.06x
Westmorland 2 0.36x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.09x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Norfolk 1 0.03x
Renfrewshire 1 0.05x
Royal Navy 1 0.33x
Selkirkshire 1 0.44x
Shropshire 1 0.05x
Sussex 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. North Bierley in Yorkshire leads with 273 Kelletts recorded in 1881 and an index of 200.79x.

Place Total Index
North Bierley 273 200.79x
Wyke In Bradford 165 366.42x
Preston 154 19.09x
Horton In Bradford 65 16.53x
Hunslet 65 16.55x
Chorley 56 33.10x
Gomersal 50 42.54x
Blackburn 39 4.86x
Ashton Under Lyne 37 5.61x
Bradford 37 6.07x
Leeds 33 2.32x
Bowling 31 12.43x
Barrow In Furness 27 6.58x
Batley 26 10.86x
Cleckheaton 26 28.03x
Dalton In Furness 24 20.62x
Holbeck 24 14.39x
Ulverston 24 27.33x
Salford 23 2.59x
Dukinfield 22 8.49x
Morley 22 16.80x
Leyland 21 40.03x
Shelf 19 79.00x
Washington 19 59.94x
Great Bolton 17 4.26x
Heysham 17 309.09x
Macclesfield 17 6.82x
Wigan 17 4.03x
Onchan 16 11.77x
Calverley Cum Farsley 15 20.98x
Gildersome 15 49.55x
Manchester 15 1.11x
Marple 15 38.95x
Bawtry 13 163.93x
Bishop Auckland 13 12.82x
Bredbury 13 40.05x
Monks Coppenhall 13 6.14x
Over Hulton 13 151.69x
Egton Cum Newland 12 136.99x
Farnley In Bramley 12 38.17x
Hetton Le Hole 12 12.52x
Hulme 12 1.91x
Lambeth 12 0.54x
Oldham 12 1.23x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 12 10.26x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 1.32x
Bosden 11 63.92x
Eccleston In Prescot 11 7.27x
Farington 11 62.68x
Hyde 11 6.65x
Liversedge 11 9.81x
Lye 11 19.92x
Penwortham 11 77.03x
Walton Le Dale 11 13.58x
Brightside Bierlow 10 2.02x
Pendleton In Salford 10 2.78x
Stockport 10 3.46x
Whittle Le Woods 10 100.10x
Bradford 9 6.38x
Bramley In Bramley 9 9.34x
Brandon Byshottles 9 9.50x
Derby St Alkmund 9 7.55x
Heckmondwike 9 11.11x
Layton With Warbreck 9 8.13x
Leicester St Mary 9 3.95x
Livesey 9 17.01x
Medlar With Wesham 9 99.45x
Monkwearmouth 9 12.44x
Over Darwen 9 3.74x
Ruthin 9 91.56x
Satterthwaite 9 228.43x
St Pancras London 9 0.44x
Tanshelf 9 44.75x
West Derby 9 1.02x
Aylestone 8 36.00x
Barnsley 8 3.08x
Bury 8 2.32x
Gorton 8 2.82x
Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd 8 82.30x
Sharow 8 241.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 203
Sarah 96
Elizabeth 87
Ann 63
Jane 55
Margaret 55
Hannah 53
Alice 41
Annie 40
Martha 39
Ellen 37
Eliza 27
Emma 25
Emily 23
Edith 20
Catherine 15
Ruth 15
Clara 14
Ada 12
Lucy 12
Agnes 11
Harriet 11
Maria 11
Isabella 10
Nancy 10
Fanny 9
Louisa 9
Caroline 8
Florence 8
Susannah 8
Anne 7
Betty 6
Eleanor 6
Frances 6
Kate 6
Rose 6
Sophia 6
Charlotte 5
Elizth. 5
Harriett 5
Lavinia 5
Lilly 5
Rachel 5
Amy 4
Bertha 4
Edna 4
Esther 4
Henrietta 4
Julia 4
Margret 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 176
William 130
James 87
Joseph 64
Thomas 60
George 58
Robert 41
Henry 40
Edward 30
Arthur 28
Richard 28
Samuel 27
Charles 25
Fred 22
David 15
Walter 14
Albert 13
Alfred 12
Benjamin 9
Peter 9
Frank 8
Harry 8
Christopher 7
Edwin 7
Ernest 7
Francis 7
Mark 7
Squire 7
Ezra 6
Tom 6
Wm. 6
Ephraim 5
Jonas 5
Moses 5
Ralph 5
Willie 5
Abraham 4
Amos 4
Dan 4
Edwd. 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
Irvine 4
Isaac 4
Levi 4
Lewis 4
Rufus 4
Sam 4
Wilfred 4
Jno. 3

FAQ

Kellett surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kellett surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,599 people were recorded with the Kellett surname. That placed it at #1,715 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kellett surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,366 in 2016. That gives Kellett a modern rank of #2,015.

What does the Kellett surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "spring in a grove" or "hard spring" in Old English.

What does the Kellett map show?

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