My kelley family as far back as we can find them are from North Carolina, both spellings have been noted by different census takers, birth records, and death records,when we can find them, an intresting item, my grandfather was Haskell B Kelley and he was the son of George and Rosannah Rigsby Kelley, my g,father had one brother that spelled his name Kelly, therefore part of the family spelling was Kelley and part Kelly, so maybe there is no real reason for the difference in spelling except personal choice. For a long time, when I was younger, I thought we were no relation to my g,uncle's family. Something to think about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Edna Lewis