Kelly Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Kelly Family

22,160 Kelly records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

22,160Records in our database

1835Earliest birth

3Documented families

3Biographies

See the Kelly family trees →1,245 Kelly families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

22,160 Kelly records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Missouri (4,121 of 22,160)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: Mary Kelly, born 1835, Sac County, Iowa

Most common first names

John1,025 Mary726 James711 William659 Robert483 Thomas432 Joseph331 Edward330 Charles317 Margaret300 Helen269 George257

Documented families

Kelly families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family histories, generation by generation (1)

The Kelly family of Clinton CountyIowaStarts: Adam Kelly and Elizabeth Kelly (b. 1814)Most recent: John W. Kelly (b. 1868)

Family records from county histories (2)

Robert Kelly d. 1906Clinton County, IowaStarts: Robert Kelly, from PennsylvaniaMost recent: Lee Clair Kelly, Bruce Kelly Charles Kelly b. 1838Floyd County, IowaStarts: Joseph Kelly & Malinda RaderMost recent: William F. Kelly

The earliest Kellys in the county histories

Robert KellyBorn 1795Morrow County, Ohio Bernard KellyBorn 1798, Longford CountyBrown County, Ohio Levi H. KellyBorn 1803Child of Moses Kelly and Ann (Hatton) KellyWarren County, Ohio Samuel KellyBorn 1804Morrow County, Ohio Hugh KellyBorn 1815Tuscarawas County, Ohio Daniel KellyBorn 1818Child of Michael Kelly and Betsy (Stahl) KellyDelaware County, Ohio

Family trees from the public record

1,245 Kelly families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

68 Kelly death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

75 Kelly people in 51 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (3)

Samuel S. KellyBorn 1849 · Clinton County, Iowa Oliver Warren KellyBorn 1851 · Clark County, Ohio Joseph A. KellyBorn 1855 · Clinton County, Iowa

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Kelly family

Found your Kelly? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Kelly genealogy: FAQ

Where were Kelly ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 22,160 Kelly records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (4,121), then Illinois (3,994) and Ohio (3,531).

How far back does the Kelly family tree go?

The earliest Kelly birth in our database is 1835: Mary Kelly, Sac County, Iowa. We have pieced together 1,245 Kelly family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Kelly family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Kelly family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.