This is (or was) a double-barrelled name which cojoined has no specific meaning , although the separate components have their own identity. In this case Kelway is a variant of Calloway, a name of French origin from the village of Caillouet in Eure, Normandy, medieval spellings including Thomas de Kaillewey (1242 Wiltshire) whilst 'Bamber', now also found as a christian name, derives from Bamber village (the bridge of beams) near Preston in Lancashire, Robert Bamber of Dukinfield being recorded in the Wills Record of Chester in 1619. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Philip de Chailwei which was dated 1165 The Pipe Rolls of Gloucester during the reign of King Henry 11 The Builder of Churches 1154 - 1189 Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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