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The name Balair was first used by the ancient Strathclyde-Briton people of the Scottish/English Borderlands. The first Balair to use this name no doubt lived in the village of Blair, in the county of Ayrshire.
"The Blairs 'of that ilk' in Ayrshire, have been seated in that co. for more than 600 years. They claim the chief-ship of all the Blairs in the South and West of Scotland, though that honour is challenged by the Blairs of Balthayock, co. Perth, who date back to the beginning of the XIII. " 1
The surname Balair was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire.
William of Blare witnessed a charter by Malcolm, 7th Earl of Fife. He is probably the same man as Sir William de Blar, who was Seneschal of Fife in 1235. His son, Sir Bryce Blair, was known as "the gallant knight." He fought with Sir William Wallace but was eventually taken prisoner, and executed at Ayr. 2
John Blair (fl. 1300), was chaplain of Sir William Wallace, a native of Fife, and is said to have been educated at Dundee in the same school with Wallace. 3 He wrote an account of the travels and adventures, which is said to be the source for the famed verse written in the late 1400s, Schir William Wallace by Blind Harry.
Further to the south in England, "the Blairs, of Northumberland, are probably derived from the Blairs of Ayrshire." 4
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balair research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1593, 1634, 1646, 1650, 1656, 1666, 1679, 1699, 1743, 1746 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Balair History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Scribes in Medieval Scotland spelled names by sound rather than any set of rules, so an enormous number of spelling variations exist in names of that era. Balair has been spelled Blair, Blayr, Blare, Blaire and others.
Notable amongst the family at this time was Robert Blair (1593-1666) a Scottish Nonconformist divine, excommunicated in 1634, but later became Moderator of the General Assembly in 1646. "His father was a merchant-adventurer, John Blair of Windyedge, a younger brother of the ancient family of Blair of that ilk; his mother was Beatrix Muir (of the house of Rowallan), who lived for nearly a century." 3
Robert Blair (1699-1746), was a Scottish poet, best known for...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Balair Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The number of Strathclyde Clan families sailing for North America increased steadily as the persecution continued. In the colonies, they could find not only freedom from the iron hand of the English government, but land to settle on. The American War of Independence allowed many of these settlers to prove their independence, while some chose to go to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots played essential roles in the forging of both great nations. Among them: Alexander Blair who settled in New England in 1718; James Blair settled in Virginia in 1775; John Blair settled in New Hampshire in 1718; Bryce Blair settled in Charles Town in 1773.