History of your Surname
Get access to Kelay family records.Start a free trial

Kelay Family History

Kelay Name Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Kelly, Delay, Kelty, Klay, Kelsay, Keay, Belay, Kay, Vela, Pelayo

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Kelay family from?

You can see how Kelay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kelay family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Kelay families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 4 Kelay families living in Kentucky. This was about 67% of all the recorded Kelay's in USA. Kentucky had the highest population of Kelay families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kelay surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kelay ancestors do for a living?

Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Kelay ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

What Kelay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 227 census records available for the last name Kelay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kelay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Kelay

Passenger Lists

There are 52 immigration records available for the last name Kelay. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kelay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 18 military records available for the last name Kelay. For the veterans among your Kelay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kelay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kelay family history

Discover More

What is the average Kelay lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Kelay family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Kelay last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial