Near History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsEtymology of NearWhat does the name Near mean? The Picts of ancient Scotland were the tribe of the ancestors of the Near family. The name Near is derived from the personal name John. The Gaelic form of their name was originally Mac-Iain-uidhir, which means son of dun John. However, the Near family of Perth traditionally derive their name from M'an-oighre, which means son of the heir. Experts have also theorized that the surname Near may be derived from Mac-an-fhuibir, which means son of the smith, or Mac-an-huidhir, which means son of the stranger. Early Origins of the Near familyThe surname Near was first found in Perth, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects. Further to the south in England, the Menaire, Menear, Manhire and other variants claim descent from Walter Maenhir who was listed in Devon in 1293. The very rare variant Manhire traces back to Ellis Menheire who was listed in Devon in 1642. 1 Early History of the Near familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Near research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1392, 1526, 1546, 1776 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Near History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Near Spelling VariationsScribes in the Middle Ages did not have access to a set of spelling rules. They spelled according to sound, the result was a great number of spelling variations. In various documents, Near has been spelled MacNair, MacNaire, MacNayer, MacNeir, MacNuir, Menair and many more. Early Notables of the Near familyAnother 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Near Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Near RankingIn the United States, the name Near is the 13,203rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2 Migration of the Near family to IrelandSome of the Near family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
The cruelties suffered under the new government forced many to leave their ancient homeland for the freedom of the North American colonies. Those who arrived safely found land, freedom, and opportunity for the taking. These hardy settlers gave their strength and perseverance to the young nations that would become the United States and Canada. Immigration and passenger lists have shown many early immigrants bearing the name Near: Near Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Near Settlers in Canada in the 18th CenturyNear Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Near Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
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