The tradition of the foundation of the family of Adair of Dunskey and Kinhilt originating from a fugitive son of Fitzgerald, Earl Desmond of Adair in Ireland, taking as surname his father s estate name seems too hypothetical for belief. Chalmers and others think that Adair is but a different pronunciation of Edzear (z = y) or Edgar. It is a fact that Thomas Edzear or Odeir had a charter of the lands of Kildonan in the Rynes of Galloway from Robert I (RMS., I, App. 11,681). From the Bruce, also, various parties of the same patronymic had grants of land in Dumfries. Richard dictus Edger, for example, had a charter of the "place of Seneschar (Sanquhar) and half the barony thereof" (RMS., I, 27). As Bruce died in 1329, and if Adair and Edzear are the same it is clear that the surname was located in Galloway much earlier than 1388, when the Fitzgerald of Adare is supposed to have acquired the lands. "As a matter of fact .the name is. simply a form of Edgar, progenitor being probably Edgar, son of Duvenald, a leader at the Battle of the Standard, grandson of Donegal of Morton Castle, a descendant of who II, Robert Edzear had a charter from Robert Bruce of the lands of Kildonan, adjacent to which are those of Kinhilt. In confirmation of this we also find the name Edgar attaching to a hill on his property at Dromore" (Agnew, I, p. 220). In a footnote Agnew adds: "In the Lochnaw charter chest various deeds prove the name Edzear and Adair to have been interchangeable with the Galloway Adairs. In a charter dated 1625 the name is spelled in both forms on the same page." John Adair had a commission for a survey of Scotland in 1681 (RPC., 3. ser. XII introduction).

(Celtic) Dweller at the Oak-Tree Ford, i.e., the ford by the oak(s. [Gaelic (and Irish) ath-dara, ford of the oak-tree]

A Scottish name prominent in Ulster. It is also occasionally an anglicized form of Ó Dáire, formerly in Offaly. MIF 17 (where Robin Adair is identified)

(Scottish, Irish) Descendant of Edzear or Edgar (rich, spear); dweller near the oak-tree ford; grandson of Daire, an old Irish name.

A branch of the great AngloHibernian family of Fitz-Gerald settled at Adare, a village in co. Limerick, and thus acquired the looal surname. In the XV. century Robert Fitz-Gerald de Adair, in consequence of family feuds, removed to Galloway, in Scotland, and dropping his patronymical designation, wrote himself Adair, a name which has since ramified largely on both sides of the Irish Channel. In temp. Chas. I., the senior branch transferred themselves from Galloway to co. Antrim, where they resided for some generations, until on the acquisition of English estates they again settled in Britain.

Thomas, the sixth Earl of Desmond, while on a hunting excursion lost his way, between Tralee and Newcastle, in the county of Limerick, where he was received and entertained by one William McCormick, whose daughter he subsequently married. At this alliance the family and clan took umbrage, and forced him to resign his title and estate to his youngest brother. He died in France in 1420, leaving issue, Maurice and John; Robert the son of Maurice returned to Ireland, where he killed Gerald the White Knight in single combat at Athdale, whence he received the name of Adaire. He afterwards settled in Scotland, where he married Arabella daughter of John Campbell, Lord of Argyle.

(Celtic and Gaelic.) Local. From Ath, a ford, and dare, from darach, the place of oaks, "The ford of the oaks." There is the foliowing tradition of the origin of this surname:

"Thomas, the sixth Earl of Desmond, while on a hunting excursion was benighted, and lost his way, between Tralee and Newcastle, in the county of Limerick, where he was received and hospitably entertained by one William McCormic, whose daughter he subsequently married. At this alliance, the family and clan took umbrage. Resigning his title and estate to his youngest brother, he fled to France in 1418, and died of grief at Rouen, two years afterward. The King of England attended his funeral. He had issue, Maurice and John; Robert, the son of Maurice, returning to Ireland, with the hope of regaining the estates and title of Thomas, his ancestor, slew Gerald, the White Knight, in single combat at Athdare, the ford of the oaks, whence he received the name of Adaire. He embarked for Scotland, where he married Arabella, daughter of John Campbell, Lord of Argyle."