NameCensus.

UK surname

Kelsey

Derived from a place name meaning "Cenel's island" in Old English, referring to someone who lived on Cenel's island.

In the 1881 census there were 2,214 people recorded with the Kelsey surname, ranking it #2,006 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,829, ranked #2,386, down from #2,006 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Weighton, Market, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hartlepool, West Lindsey and North Lincolnshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Kelsey is 3,058 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 27.8%.

1881 census count

2,214

Ranked #2,006

Modern count

2,829

2016, ranked #2,386

Peak year

1911

3,058 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Kelsey had 2,214 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,006 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,829 in 2016, ranked #2,386.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,058 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Kelsey surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Kelsey surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Kelsey 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 1,375 #2,085
1861 historical 1,188 #2,387
1881 historical 2,214 #2,006
1891 historical 2,356 #1,992
1901 historical 2,877 #1,943
1911 historical 3,058 #1,704
1997 modern 2,885 #2,239
1998 modern 2,984 #2,257
1999 modern 2,932 #2,310
2000 modern 2,911 #2,312
2001 modern 2,835 #2,313
2002 modern 2,894 #2,325
2003 modern 2,836 #2,316
2004 modern 2,839 #2,317
2005 modern 2,740 #2,364
2006 modern 2,748 #2,355
2007 modern 2,774 #2,366
2008 modern 2,813 #2,343
2009 modern 2,894 #2,335
2010 modern 2,935 #2,350
2011 modern 2,888 #2,352
2012 modern 2,833 #2,356
2013 modern 2,898 #2,347
2014 modern 2,909 #2,346
2015 modern 2,879 #2,344
2016 modern 2,829 #2,386

Geography

Back to top

Where Kelseys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Weighton, Market, London parishes, Manchester, Sheffield and St Matthew Bethnal Green. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hartlepool, West Lindsey, North Lincolnshire and Dudley. 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 Weighton, Market Yorkshire, East Riding
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 St Matthew Bethnal Green London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hartlepool 003 Hartlepool
2 Hartlepool 002 Hartlepool
3 West Lindsey 002 West Lindsey
4 North Lincolnshire 023 North Lincolnshire
5 Dudley 001 Dudley

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Kelsey

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Kelsey

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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, Kelsey 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

Kelsey is most concentrated in decile 7 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.

7
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Kelsey 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 Kelsey 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 Kelsey, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Kelsey

The surname Kelsey has its origins in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is a locational name derived from the place name "Kelsey" or "Kelseye," which refers to several villages and parishes in various parts of England, particularly in Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire.

The name is believed to be derived from the Old English words "celd" or "ceald," meaning "cold," and "ēa" or "ēg," meaning "stream" or "island." This suggests that the name Kelsey originally referred to a cold stream or a cold river island. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appeared as "Calesei" and "Caleseia."

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Kelsey was Sir John Kelsey, a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament who lived in the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Another notable bearer of the name was Roger Kelsey, a merchant and politician from Lincolnshire who served as Mayor of Lincoln in the early 16th century.

In the 17th century, John Kelsey (1615-1699) was a respected English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Stuntney in Cambridgeshire. Meanwhile, Thomas Kelsey (1668-1729) was an English mathematician and astronomer known for his work on calculating eclipses.

Moving into the 18th century, Henry Kelsey (1667-1724) was a famous English explorer and fur trader who is credited with being the first European to document the existence of the Canadian Prairies. He played a significant role in the early exploration and mapping of western Canada.

Throughout history, the Kelsey surname has been associated with various place names and variations in spelling, such as Kelsey-on-the-Hill, Kelsey North, and Kelsey South, as well as alternative spellings like Kelsy, Kelcie, and Kelcey. Despite its English origins, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, with notable bearers of the surname found in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Kelsey families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Kelsey 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 392 Kelseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.83x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 392 1.83x
Middlesex 318 1.47x
Lincolnshire 208 6.02x
Surrey 199 1.89x
Kent 165 2.24x
Warwickshire 150 2.75x
Lancashire 112 0.44x
Hampshire 104 2.35x
Leicestershire 78 3.25x
Durham 75 1.17x
Staffordshire 48 0.66x
Shropshire 44 2.35x
Sussex 44 1.21x
Essex 37 0.87x
Worcestershire 31 1.10x
Berkshire 26 1.60x
Derbyshire 22 0.65x
Northumberland 22 0.68x
Nottinghamshire 22 0.75x
Suffolk 15 0.57x
Dorset 14 0.99x
Gloucestershire 13 0.31x
Cheshire 12 0.25x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.76x
Devon 8 0.18x
Cumberland 6 0.32x
Glamorgan 6 0.16x
Northamptonshire 6 0.30x
Denbighshire 5 0.61x
Somerset 5 0.14x
Wiltshire 4 0.21x
Bedfordshire 3 0.27x
Norfolk 3 0.09x
Royal Navy 3 1.16x
Hertfordshire 2 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.11x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.20x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.15x
Rutland 1 0.63x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Haxey in Lincolnshire leads with 62 Kelseys recorded in 1881 and an index of 422.34x.

Place Total Index
Haxey 62 422.34x
Brightside Bierlow 55 13.09x
Bethnal Green London 50 5.32x
Shoreditch London 38 4.05x
Hackney London 37 3.05x
Sculcoates 32 9.42x
Leicester St Margaret 31 5.30x
St Pancras London 30 1.72x
Croydon 27 4.62x
Holy Trinity 27 5.24x
Islington London 27 1.29x
Crowle 26 123.52x
Epworth 25 155.09x
Belton 24 170.94x
Kensington London 24 2.00x
Waddington 23 363.92x
Camberwell 19 1.38x
Dawley 19 27.95x
Hulme 19 3.55x
Sedgley 19 7.01x
Steep 18 405.41x
West Ham 18 1.91x
Bexley 17 26.06x
Market Weighton Arras 17 122.13x
Clewer 16 24.06x
Coventry Holy Trinity 15 9.21x
Salford 15 1.99x
Sheet 15 312.50x
Hart 14 89.34x
St Swithin Lincoln 14 25.75x
Aston 13 0.87x
Lingfield 13 63.29x
Mile End New Town London 13 30.42x
Woolwich 13 4.77x
Ashley 12 1200.00x
Cranleigh 12 77.82x
Doncaster 12 7.66x
Earsdon 12 45.84x
Kemberton 12 591.13x
Kings Somborne 12 129.03x
Nether Hallam 12 4.14x
Rotherhithe 12 4.49x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 11 5.51x
Beverley St Mary 11 35.14x
Bromley London 11 2.31x
Everton 11 1.34x
Pocklington 11 54.37x
Ramsgate 11 9.13x
St George In East London 11 5.41x
St Michael Lincoln 11 117.40x
Bedworth 10 25.13x
Coxhoe 10 54.76x
Hemingbrough 10 236.41x
Nottingham St Mary 10 1.33x
Oldham 10 1.21x
Portsea 10 1.15x
Tonbridge 10 3.76x
Upton On Severn 10 54.05x
Appleby 9 160.43x
Berkswell 9 83.49x
Brighton 9 1.22x
Chilvers Coton 9 40.12x
Dorking 9 12.72x
Edmonton 9 5.17x
Finchampstead 9 182.93x
Poplar London 9 2.21x
St Marylebone London 9 0.78x
Stone In Dartford 9 47.54x
Balsall 8 93.90x
Barnsley 8 3.62x
Brant Broughton 8 159.05x
Eckington 8 9.73x
Leeds 8 0.66x
Lewisham 8 2.03x
Long Crendon 8 91.43x
Minster In Thanet 8 52.08x
Wanstead 8 10.70x
Whitstable 8 22.11x
Wrawby 8 85.47x
York Holy Trinity Kings 8 181.41x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 155
John 112
George 92
Thomas 75
Henry 66
Charles 61
James 53
Edward 33
Arthur 29
Robert 29
Richard 26
Walter 26
Alfred 25
Joseph 24
Albert 22
Harry 19
Samuel 14
Frederick 13
Frank 10
Herbert 9
Benjamin 8
Edwin 8
Fred 5
Peter 5
Wm. 5
Ernest 4
Isaac 4
Jas. 4
Amos 3
David 3
Enoch 3
G. 3
Geo. 3
Joshua 3
Maurice 3
Noah 3
Reginald 3
Robinson 3
Stephen 3
Theodore 3
Tom 3
Abraham 2
Anthony 2
Chas. 2
Emmanuel 2
Fredk. 2
Hugh 2
J. 2
Louis 2
Percy 2

FAQ

Kelsey surname: questions and answers

How common was the Kelsey surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,214 people were recorded with the Kelsey surname. That placed it at #2,006 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Kelsey surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,829 in 2016. That gives Kelsey a modern rank of #2,386.

What does the Kelsey surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Cenel's island" in Old English, referring to someone who lived on Cenel's island.

What does the Kelsey map show?

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