Keillor

Keillor is a surname of Scottish origin.[2] It is thought to derive from the Scottish Gaelic word "gu leòr" (modern English, “galore”) meaning "sufficient," "enough" or "plenty."[3][4]

Keillor
Map of Scotland showing the location of Keillor in Perth and Kinross
Map of Scotland showing the location of Keillor in Perth and Kinross
Keillor
The location of Keillor in Perth and Kinross
Pronunciationkee-luhr
Origin
Word/nameScottish Gaelic
Guleòr → Keleòr → Keillor
Meaning“Sufficient,” “Enough,” "Plenty"
Region of origin Scotland
 Angus
Other names
Variant form(s)Keilor, Keiler, Keiller, Kieller, Keillour, Keilar, Keeler, Keelor, Kellar, Keller, Kellor, Kiellor.[1]

Origin and variants

Keillor is a habitational name derived from a small settlement called "Keillor" in the village of Kettins near the town of Coupar Angus in the council area of Perth and Kinross in northeastern Scotland.[5] Though presently in Perth and Kinross, Keillor, which lies on the border between Perth and Kinross and the council area of Angus, was originally in Angus (previously known as Forfarshire) until the area was transferred to the historic county of Perthshire (now Perth and Kinross) in 1891.

A very old surname, the first Keillor family lived at Keillor where they had historically held a family seat.[6] Although originally a Scottish name, it is also historically concentrated in Northern England, most notably in the region of Yorkshire.

The Keillor Stone. A Bronze Age tumulus at High Keillor near Keillor in Perth and Kinross

Until the gradual standardization of English spelling in the last few centuries, English lacked any comprehensive system of spelling. Medieval Scottish names, particularly as they were anglicized from the original Gaelic, historically displayed wide variations in recorded spellings as scribes of the era spelled words according to how they sounded rather than any set of rules. This means that a person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. As such, different variations of the Keillor surname usually have the same origin.[7] Aside from the United Kingdom, variants of the surname can be found today across the English-speaking world, particularly in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ontario in North America, and in Australia.

Notable people with the surname

See also

References
  1. "Keillor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms". houseofnames.com. Retrieved 26 June 2018
  2. Hanks, Patrick (2003). Dictionary of American Family Names.
  3. "Scottish Place Names, Melbourne". rampantscotland.com. Retrieved 26 June 2018
  4. "Learn Gaelic". learngaelic.net. Retrieved 26 June 2018
  5. Hanks, Patrick (2003). Dictionary of American Family Names.
  6. "Keillor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms". houseofnames.com. Retrieved 26 June 2018
  7. "Keillor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms". houseofnames.com. Retrieved 26 June 2018
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