Kares History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Kares is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived at the carr, or low lying meadow. 1

"The frequency with which such entries as Robert or William del Carr, or atte Carr, or Karr, or Kerr recur in Lancashire and Yorkshire records of the 13th and 14th centuries is explained by the fact that Carr or Kerr meant a low-lying meadow. It is still so used in all the northern counties. " 1

Alternatively, the surname is topographic in origin and is derived from the Old Norse word kjarr which eventually became kerr. The Old English translation is brushwood or wet ground. This surname was given to a person who resided near these physical features.

Early Origins of the Kares family

The surname Kares was first found in Yorkshire where the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed "Thomas Carr, Agnes uxor ejus; Willelmus att Karr; and Johannes del Karr. In the Yorkshire Poll Tax (1379) almost every village has some one styled William or John del Kerr in it." 1

The Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III listed Lucas de la Care, Kent, 20 Edward I (during the 20th year of King Edward I's reign.)

Early History of the Kares family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kares research. Another 186 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1272, 1307, 1500, 1646, 1663, 1678, 1680, 1688 and 1706 are included under the topic Early Kares History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kares Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Kares are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Kares include: Care, Kare, Carre, Karre and others.

Early Notables of the Kares family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Henry Care (1646-1688), an English political writer and journalist. After the Popish Plot of 1678, he wrote against...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kares Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kares family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Kares or a variant listed above: Elizabeth Care who arrived in Barbados in 1654 and Mary Care in Virginia in 1698.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)