Early Origins of the Cairstares family
The surname Cairstares was first found in
Lanarkshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig) a former county in the central Strathclyde region of
Scotland, now divided into the Council Areas of North
Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, and the City of Glasgow.
Carstairs is a parish in the Upper ward of the county of Lanark that includes the village of Ravenstruther. "The name is most probably derived from the word Car, or Caer, signifying "a fort," and stair, or stairs, "a possession;" descriptive of an estate or possession in a fortified place." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Early History of the Cairstares family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cairstares research.
Another 271 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1170, 1259, 1450, 1536, 1649, 1715, 1703 and 1716 are included under the topic Early Cairstares History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Cairstares Spelling Variations
Surnames that evolved in
Scotland in the Middle Ages often appear under many
spelling variations. These are due to the practice of spelling according to sound in the era before dictionaries had standardized the English language. Cairstares has appeared as Carstair, Carstairs, Kerstairs, Kerstair, Carstare, Carstares, Cairstare, Cairstares, Carrstairs, Carrstare, Carrstarr, Carstarr, Carstarrs, Carrstarrs, Kerrstarr and many more.
Early Notables of the Cairstares family (pre 1700)
Another 23 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Cairstares Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Cairstares family to Ireland
Some of the Cairstares family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 166 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Cairstares family to the New World and Oceana
The North American colonies beckoned, with their ample land and opportunity as their freedom from the persecution suffered by so many
Clan families back home. Many Scots even fought against
England in the American
War of Independence to gain this freedom. Recently, clan societies have allowed the ancestors of these brave Scottish settlers to rediscover their familial roots. Among them: Thomas Carstairs settled in Virginia in 1700.
The Cairstares Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Te splendente
Motto Translation: Whilst thou art shining.