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.
The 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]
This 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 are included under the topic Early Near History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Scribes 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.
Another 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.
In 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.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Near migration to the United States +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 migration to Canada +Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Near migration to Australia +
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