862 Global KIELTY Family Members

KIELTY Family History

This name, with variant spellings Quilty, Keelty, Keeltagh and O'Kielt, is an Anglicized form of the Old Gaelic "O Caoilte". The Gaelic prefix "O" indicates "grandson" or "male descendant of", plus the personal byname "Caoilte" which originated either as a nickname for a slender person, from "caol", thin and slight, or as a topographical name for one resident in a wooded area, (Gaelic "coillte", woods). The form Quilty is mainly found in Munster, especially in County Limerick, whereas, the variants Kielty and Keetlty are more widespread in Connacht.