"Recorded in many forms, this long-established surname may be either medieval Scottish or Irish in origin. If the former, it derives from the Gaelic Mac Shealbhaigh, meaning the son of Sealbhach, a personal name meaning "Having possessions". Sealbhach mac Shealbhaich is the hero in the tale of the Balieveolan Blassrig according to Folk Tales and Fairy Lore, by Macdougall. Early examples of the surname recording include an allowance made to Mathew, the son of Maurice Make Salui, a Galloway hostage, in the calendar of Documents relating to Scotland in 1299. As an Irish surname it is from the Gaelic Mac Giolla Bhuidhe, meaning the son of the fair man, and probably a reference to a Norse-Viking chieftain. These warlike people were fair haired, and controlled much of Ireland for several centuries from the 8th century. The many surname spellings include MacElwee, MacCalvey, MacGiollaway, MacGilvie, MacKelvy, McKelvey, and McKelvie, the latter two forms being most widespread in the Ulster counties of Antrim and Donegal." -Taken from http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/McKelvey" The goal of the this surname project is to discover and trace the various paternal McKelvey Y-DNA lines across the globe, including, but not limited to the U.S., Republic of Ireland, Scotland, U.K., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.  For the U.S. and Canada, the goal is to identify the various lines that swept in during the late 18th and throughout the 19th Centuries.  All male McKelvey's are invited to join.  Those with common alternate spellings are also strongly encouraged to join [ex. McCelvey, McKelvie, MacKelvey, McElwee, McElwy, etc].