Near Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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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.

Near Early Origins

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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.

Near Spelling Variations

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.

Near Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Near research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1392, 1526, 1546, and 1776 are included under the topic Early Near History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Near Early Notables (pre 1700)

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.

Near In Ireland

Some of the Near family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 122 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

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

C. B. Near, aged 40, who landed in America, in 1903
Gertrude Near, aged 30, who landed in America, in 1903
J.M. Near, aged 27, who settled in America, in 1921
Frank Near, aged 35, who emigrated to the United States, in 1922
Lionel Near, aged 36, who landed in America, in 1923

Near Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. John Near U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 ^[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X

Near Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Susan Near, aged 40, who settled in Toronto, Canada, in 1913
William Wallace Near, aged 57, who emigrated to Toronto, Canada, in 1923

Near Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Near, a stone-cutter, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832

Contemporary Notables of the name Near (post 1700)

Holly Near (b. 1949), American singer-songwriter, actress, teacher, and activist
John L. Near, American politician, U.S. Consul in Sarnia, 1865-66 ^[2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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Citations

^ Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
^ The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

Other References

Filby, P. William and Mary K Meyer. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index in Four Volumes. Detroit: Gale Research, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8).
Barrow, G.W.S Ed. Acts of Malcom IV 1153-65 Volume I Regesta Regum Scottorum 1153-1424. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1960. Print.
Matthews, John. Matthews' American Armoury and Blue Book. London: John Matthews, 1911. Print.
Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8).
Leeson, Francis L. Dictionary of British Peerages. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1986. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-1121-5).
Bradford, William. History of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647 Edited by Samuel Eliot Morrison 2 Volumes. New York: Russell and Russell, 1968. Print.
Markale, J. Celtic Civilization. London: Gordon & Cremonesi, 1976. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X).
Bloxham, Ben. Key to Parochial Registers of Scotland From Earliest Times Through 1854 2nd edition. Provo, UT: Stevenson's Genealogical Center, 1979. Print.
Warner, Philip Warner. Famous Scottish Battles. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1996. Print. (ISBN 0-76070-004-4).
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The Near Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Near Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 2 March 2016 at 14:31.