Kelso Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Kelso last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Kelso last name
Meaning of the Kelso last name: place name. Kelso is a Scottish surname from the town of Kelso in the Scottish Borders, on the River Tweed, perhaps meaning "chalk hill". It is found in Ayrshire and Ulster. This last name is also common in America, where Kelso in Washington shares it.
Arms associated with the Kelso name
Coats of arms associated with the Kelso surname follow Scottish heraldry, where each blazon belongs to one bearer.
Get your full Kelso family history
This is only a glimpse of the Kelso story. The full Kelso history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Kelso coat of arms. Get the full Kelso report.
Kelso name FAQ
What does the Kelso name mean?
Place name. Common variants include Kelsoe.
Where does the Kelso surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Kelso coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Kelso coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).