Kelsey Family History

Kelsey Surname Meaning

English: habitational name from North or South Kelsey in Lincolnshire so named from an uncertain initial element (perhaps an Old English personal name with genitive -es) + Old English ēg ‘island’.

Possibly also an Americanized form of German Gelzer.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022

Similar surnames: Kersey, Akeley, Kimsey, Elsey, Hessey, Vessey, Keeley, Keesey, Kellen, Bessey

813,000 record(s) for Kelsey

157K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
17K	Military Records
8K	Immigration Records
133K	Census and Voter Lists
496K	Member Trees

Where is the Kelsey family from?

You can see how Kelsey families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kelsey family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Kelsey families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 153 Kelsey families living in New York. This was about 33% of all the recorded Kelsey's in USA. New York had the highest population of Kelsey families in 1840.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kelsey surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Kelsey ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Kelsey. 17% of Kelsey men worked as a Laborer and 9% of Kelsey women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kelsey were Clerk and Teacher.

We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

Laborer

17%

Farmer

14%

Salesman

5%

Clerk

4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

Housewife

9%

Stenographer

7%

Housekeeper

7%

Teacher

6%

What Kelsey family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 133K census records available for the last name Kelsey. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kelsey census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Passenger List

There are 8K immigration records available for the last name Kelsey. 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.

Military Records

There are 17K military records available for the last name Kelsey. For the veterans among your Kelsey ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

What is the average Kelsey lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Kelsey life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Kelsey in 1943 was 43, and 75 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Kelsey ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.