920 Global KEIR Family Members

KEIR Family History

This is a famous Scottish clan surname, with two possible origins. Now recorded almost equally in the spelling of Keir and Kier, the original spelling as can be seen in the first recording as show below, was Ker and subsequently Kar, Keire, and Kere. It is either a locational surname from the village of Keir in Stirlingshire, Scotland, or alternatively it is from "Ciar", a Gaelic personal name of the pre 10th century meaning dark or swarthy. What is certain is that the surname is ancient, and one of the earliest on the Scottish records. Examples of these early recordings include Alexander del Keire who had a gift of money from the king of Scotland in 1260, whilst Andrew del Ker rendered homage to the Interregnum republican government of Scotland, who held power for ten years from 1296 to 1306, until overthrown by the famous Robert, The Bruce...