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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: 

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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 1891 there were 435 Kelsey families living in Yorkshire. This was about 17% of all the recorded Kelsey's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Kelsey families in 1891.
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.
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What did your Kelsey ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Kelsey. 7% of Kelsey men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Kelsey women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Kelsey were Retired and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Kelsey | Data not to scale

*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 1939

  • General Labourer
    7%
  • Farmer
    6%
  • Bricklayer
    5%
  • Retired
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Kelsey family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 133,000 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.

Search UK census records for Kelsey

Passenger Lists

There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Kelsey. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Kelsey immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 17,000 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.

View all Kelsey military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kelsey family history

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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.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kelsey

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.

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