by Sean Foglai (guest)
6/29/2004, 6:17 PM
My Irish surname book has it alternately spelled as MacKellow, possibly from Scots Mac Killoch ...a toponymic from Ayrshire ...
McBain's Irish translation site has the following:
ceall
g. cille, a church, so Irish, Early Irish cell; from Latin cella, a cell, a hermit's cell especially, whence the Gadelic use. Hence cealloir, superior of a cell, and the name Mackellar. "A retired spot"
Best I can do ...