Show ContentsHair History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Hair

What does the name Hair mean?

Hair is a very old Scottish name that may even date back to the Dalriadan tribe of Scotland's western coast and Hebrides islands. It comes from Ir. O'hlr means descendant of Ir.

Early Origins of the Hair family

The surname Hair 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, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Hair family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hair research. Another 47 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1686, 1751, 1760, 1775, 1792, 1795, 1834, 1837, 1842, 1855, 1890 and 1964 are included under the topic Early Hair History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hair Spelling Variations

Spelling variations are a very common occurrence in records of early Scottish names. They result from the repeated and inaccurate translations that many names went through in the course of various English occupations of Scotland. Hair has been spelled Hare, Hair, Hehir, Hehr, Heher and others.

Early Notables of the Hair family

Another 46 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hair Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hair Ranking

In the United States, the name Hair is the 4,603rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Hair family to Ireland

Some of the Hair family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 105 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Hair migration to the United States +

Numerous Scottish settlers settled along the east coast of the colonies that would become the United States and Canada. Others traveled to the open country of the west. At the time of the American War of Independence, some remained in the United States, while those who remained loyal to the crown went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The highland games and Clan societies that sprang up across North America in the 20th century have helped many Scots to recover parts of their lost traditions. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Hairs to arrive in North America:

Hair Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Samuel Hair, aged 33, who landed in New Yolk in 1719 2
  • Christopher Hair, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1753
  • Christopher Hair, aged 21, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 2
Hair Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Hair, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1816 2
  • James Hair, who arrived in New York in 1836 2
  • Frederick Hair, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 2
  • Robert Hair, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1868 2

Hair migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hair Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Patrick P Hair, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1826

Hair migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hair Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Hair, (b. 1801), aged 38, Scottish farm servant who was convicted in Corfu, Greece for 14 years for embezzlement, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1853 3
  • Mr. William Hair, (Hare), English brick maker who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 15 years for robbery with violence, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 1st October 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
  • Thomas Hair, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Susannah" in 1849 5
  • Michael Hair, aged 23, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Omega"
  • Patrick Hair, aged 25, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Omega"
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Hair migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hair Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Hair, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Middlesex
  • William Hair, aged 40, a farm labourer, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Margaret Hair, aged 28, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Ann Hair, aged 9, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Slains Castle" in 1841
  • Mr. William Hair, (b. 1800), aged 40, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Slains Castle" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 25th January 1841 6
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Hair (post 1700) +

  • Warren Hair (1918-2006), American professional basketball player
  • Alfred "Freddy" Hair (1941-1970), American painter
  • T. E. Hair, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arkansas, 1884 7
  • Sarah Hair, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Hawaii, 2004 7
  • Mattox Hair, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Florida 4th District, 1992 7
  • Lacy Hair, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from North Carolina, 1964 7
  • John S. Hair, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1904 7
  • J. W. Hair, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Mississippi, 1916 7
  • George W. Hair, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Carolina, 1956 7
  • George E. Hair, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 47th District, 1895-98 7
  • ... (Another 11 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland
  5. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SUSANNAH 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Susannah.htm
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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