Surname Mairs - Meaning and Origin
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Mairs: What does the surname Mairs mean?
The Mairs surname has its origins in the Northern England and Scottish Borders area and is one of many variants of the surname Mair/Maire, which derives from the Scottish Gaelic word “maire”, meaning “steward”. In medieval Scotland, the stewards of a ruler or laird were given a wide remit in overseeing and managing the affairs of their lords. The Mairs surname has been found in records dating back to the 12th century.
Today, the Mairs surname can be found in many parts of the UK, although their geographical origins remain closely tied to the Scottish Borders and Northern England. It is a popular surname among those with Scots-Irish ancestry, with one of the earliest records being the marriage of David Mairs and Marion Baillie in 1664 in Newbottle, Northumberland, UK.
The Mairs surname still carries a sense of noble tradition and pride of origin, with many descendants in the UK proudly noting their ancestral links to those stewards of long ago. Furthermore, the Mairs name has gained some modern celebrity status - it was the surname of a past Prime Minister of Canada, William Lyon Mackenzie King.
The Mairs surname is a testament to the proud sense of family, tradition, and history that persists to this day.
Order DNA origin analysisMairs: Where does the name Mairs come from?
The last name Mairs is most commonly found throughout the United Kingdom. It is derived from the Gaelic for "plain", so unsurprisingly the name is found in areas such as England, Scotland and Wales. It is also prevalent in other English-speaking countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States.
In the United Kingdom, Mairs can be found in abundance in the North East of England and in Scotland, where particularly high concentrations can be found in Lanarkshire. It is noticeably less prevalent in the South of England, with much lower levels in areas such as Kent, Hampshire and Surrey.
Despite its name, Mairs is not exclusively a British last name, with numerous examples occurring in France, Germany, the Netherlands and even parts of South America and the Far East. This can be attributed to the frequent trade links that have developed between Europe and other parts of the world in the last few hundred years.
In all, Mairs is quite a common last name, particularly in the United Kingdom. Its current global distribution would indicate that it is still highly popular throughout the world, suggesting that it is likely to remain commonplace in the foreseeable future.
Variations of the surname Mairs
Mairs is an English surname of Norman origin. It has several variant spellings including Mayers, Miers, Mears, and Maerz. These variant spellings of Mairs suggest that the original Norman name could have been either Maire, Meyer, or Meyr. It is also possible that Mairs is an Anglicised version of a Gaelic name such as Mac Muir or MacMair, both being various derivatives of the Gaelic maor or maer which mean "gentle, courteous, or kind".
Mairs can also be found as Meares, Meyrs, Miers, Mayers, Mayer, Maerz, Maieres, and Maerrs. A variant spelling of Mairs that is found in Scotland and Ireland is Mcmair, which is derived from the Gaelic Macmair meaning "son of the noble one". Additionally, variants such as Meur, Maire, Maury, Maurer, Mere, Mairer, and Mayrer are also found in Scotland and Ireland.
The Mairs surname can also be found in various other forms such as Mac Maire, Mc Maire, the French Moir, Mohr, Maier, Mair, Mayer, Major, Mer, Neumann, Mueller, and Müller. Mairs can also be found as Mair, Myer, and Meyr from Germany.
Overall, while Mairs is the most common variant, there are many other variants, spellings, and surnames that have the same origin and can be used to search for genealogy records.
Famous people with the name Mairs
- John Mairs (American actor best known as “Officer John Mairs” in the series CHiPs)
- Rachel Mairs (English cricketer)
- Will Mairs (Former NBA referee)
- Edward Mairs (Late President of New Zealand's Law Society)
- Mihir Mairs (Broadcaster and author)
- Alexander Mairs (Revolutionary war Veteran and politician)
- Pierre Mairs (American sculptor)
- Jalina Mairs (American singer/songwriter and artist)
- Mary Mairs (American author)
- Donal Mairs (Canadian televangelist and author)
- Daren Mairs (Canadian professional wrestler and stuntman)
- Glen Mairs (American politician and lawyer)
- Evelyn Mairs (Scottish painter, etcher, and draughtsman)
- Amy Mairs (American actress and stuntwoman)
- Harold Mairs (Australian radio presenter and actor)
- Austin Mairs (British actor)
- Joan Mairs (Scottish singer)
- Brian Mairs (American actor)
- Terri Mairs (American professional bowler)
- Juliana Mairs (American actress)