Show ContentsMacBrair History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the MacBrair family

The surname MacBrair was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), a Southern area, bordering on England that today forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area. "Of all the families springing from Dumfries the MacBrairs have the longest and most honourable connection, having been virtually hereditary provosts of the burgh for nigh 150 years." 1

"The name of M'Brair," says Sir Herbert Maxwell, "contains in itself a reproach to a celibate order -Mac brathair (braher) the friar's son." 1 Another source claims the name was from the Lowland Scottish word brae, meaning 'hill'.

Other early record show: John de Byres, a monk in Neubotle, Midlothian, in 1309; and Thome de Byris owned a tenement in Edinburgh in 1392.

Early History of the MacBrair family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacBrair research. Another 330 words (24 lines of text) covering the years 1384, 1444, 1469, 1473, 1481, 1491, 1494, 1499, 1500, 1502, 1503, 1504, 1506, 1510, 1533, 1534, 1548, 1557, 1573, 1579, 1590, 1593, 1630, 1639, 1653, 1667 and 1684 are included under the topic Early MacBrair History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacBrair Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacBriar, McBriar, MacBrair, McBrair, MacBraire, McBraire, MacBriare, McBriare, Briar, Brier, Brire, Briars, Briers, Brires, Braires, Brares, Braire, Brair, MacBrare, McBrare, Brare, MacBrar, McBrar, Brar, MacBrayr, McBrayr, MacBrayre, McBrayre, McBryar, MacBryar, MacBray, McBray, MacBrire, McBrire, MacBrier and many more.

Early Notables of the MacBrair family

More information is included under the topic Early MacBrair Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States MacBrair migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

MacBrair Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Uzal Mac Brair, aged 30, arrived in New York, N. Y. in 1924 aboard the ship "Orizaba" from Havana, Cuba 2
  • Florence Mac Brair, aged 25, arrived in New York, N. Y. in 1924 aboard the ship "Orizaba" from Havana, Cuba 2

Contemporary Notables of the name MacBrair (post 1700) +

  • Charles C. Macbrair, American inventor of an artificial fire log, patented in Oct 2, 1888
  • Robert Maxwell Macbrair, English author of "A Grammar of the Mandingo Language: With Vocabularies" in 1873


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  2. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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