The name Celbridge is derived from the Irish Cill Droichid meaning "The Church by the Bridge".

Castletown House, Ireland's finest Palladian country house, is an imposing building established in the town in the year 1722. Celbridge will always be remembered as the home of Vanessa, the ill-starred lover of Dean Swift.

The town has a deep historical background ranging from Celbridge Abbey with Jonathan Swift to Castletown House.

Celbridges's two main active Parish Churches are those of St. Patrick (Roman Catholic) and Christ Church (Church of Ireland). St. Patrick's Church sponsors a conservative church magazine circulated locally called the Open Door and holds Tridentine Masses for the evening celebration of Holy Days of Obligation. It forms part of the Catholic Parish of Celbridge and Straffan within the Archdiocese of Dublin.

Christ Church is the Anglican Parish Church for Celbridge and forms part of the grouped Parish of Celbridge, Straffan and Newcastle-Lyons in the Archdiocese of Dublin and Diocese of Glendalough.