This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'at the carr' or 'kerr,' which see. The latter is the common form of entry in the Yorkshire Poll Tax, &c. The frequency with which such entries as Robert or William del Carr, or atte Carr, or Karr, or Kerr recur in Lancashire and Yorkshire records of the 13th and 14th centuries is explained by the fact that Carr or Kerr meant a low-lying meadow. It is still so used in all the northern counties. I saw in the Clifton Arms Hotel, Blackpool, Dec. 6, 1887, a placard announcing the sale of a freehold farm near Bispham. 'All that Meadow, or Carr, containing six acres' occurred twice, and one plot of ground was called Fayles Meadow, or Deborah's Carr. In the Yorkshire Poll Tax (1379) almost every village has some one styled William or John del Kerr in it; v. Carus.

Thomas Carr, Agnes uxor ejus, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Willelmus att Karr, 1379: ibid.

Johannes del Karr, 1379: ibid.

1610. Buried — Mabell, d. John Carr: St. James, Clerkenwell.

1742. Married — James Carr and Ann Holt: St. George's Chapel, Mayfair.

This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'at the kerr,' a low-lying meadow, from residence thereby; v. Carr.

John del Ker, Nottinghamshire, 1 Edwawrd II I: Placita de Quo Warranto, temp. Edward I-III.

John del Kar, Lancashire, ibid.

Henricus del Kerre, webester. 1170: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes del Kerre, 1379: ibid.

1590. Buried — Fayth Kerye: Kensington Parish Ch.

1594. On Id father Kerrey buryed his daughter, Elizabeth Kerry: ibid.

— Ould father Kerye buryed an other of his daughters: ibid.

1599. Married — Henry Egleton and Agnes Kerry: ibid.

A variant of Ker, which see. In the list of Border chiefs who took 'assurance' of Protector Somerset at Kelso, 1547, the names of all the Border Kers are spelled Car (Patten, Expidicion into Scoilande, 1548, in Russell, Haigs of Bemersyde, p. 465). John Carre of Cavers appears in 1766, and Alexander Allan Canpublished a History of Coldingham Priory, 1836. Cuthbert Carre, a Scot, rector of the parish church of Mychyng in Sussex, received litters of denisation in England, 1480 (Bain, IV, 1465). A group of families of this name appear in Central Scotland from fifteenth to seventeenth century. Robertus Car, witness in Scon, 1491 (Scon, p. 199), James Carr in Carkarie, 1582, and ten more recorded in Brechin and neighborhood between 1576 and 1800 (Brechin). Gilbert Care in Laichbert (Larbert), 1608, and four more in the record between 1607 and 1800 (Stirling).

(Celtic) Dweller at a Fort [Cymric caer = Gaelic (and Irish) cathair (th as h), a fort] (Scandinavian) Dweller at a Marsh [Northern English and Scot. ker(r, car(r, Old Norse kiarr (whence also Swedish kärr), a marsh, also brushwood] William del Ker.—Hundred Rolls Cp. Carr.

A very numerous name in Ulster usually of Scottish origin; also a synonym of Carr, q.v., and in Donegal of Kerin, q.v. App. infra; MIF 52

“Low-Lying Meadow” in Old English.

(English, Irish) Dweller at, or near, a marsh, especially one grown up with low bushes; dweller near a fort.

Collins (Peerage, edit. 1768, v. 83.) remarks that "the Cars or Kers are undoubtedly a very ancient people in this island, but it is uncertain whether they be of French or English extraction. Those who contend for the former, allege that the baron Ker and other families of his name now existing in France, trace their origin higher than the time of William, duke of Normandy, who, being attended by a considerable commander of their name in 1066, rewarded him for his bravery and conduct with divers possessions in the north of England. . . . The Cars of England and France have the same armorial bearings, viz., Gules, on a cheveron Argent, 3 mullets of the First. Others are of opinion that the surname is local, and was at first assumed by the owners of the lands and baronies of Car and Carshall in Lancashire." The Scottish Kers bear their arms of different tinctures from those of England and France; and Collins adds, that some are of opinion that they are "Aborigines, and endeavour to support their conjecture by affirming the surname to be Gaelic or Celtic." They were numerous and flourishing temp. Alexander III. A.D. 1249. I think it highly probable that this monosyllabic name may be traced to several local sources. A car in various dialects signifies "a wood or grove on a moist soil, generally of alders. Any hollow place or marsh is also called a car." In Anglo-Saxon, on the contrary, it means a lock. Again in Lincolnshire it signifies a gutter. Halliwell. Once more, the Celtic caer means a fortification, and ' carr' is applied in various districts to a place where some castle or earthwork has existed.

Vide, Kerr.

A marsh. The family are descended from Ralph and Robert Ker of Ker Hall in Lancashire, who were living in Roxburghshire in 1340, when Robert Ker obtained from David II, the lands of Oultoburn, and was ancestor of the Kerrs of Cesford. Ralph Ker was the founder of the family of Kerr of Ferniherst.

This name has several significations; Caer, Cornish—British, a city, town, a fort, a castle; Carre, French, a stout, broad—shouldered man; Cawr, Welsh, a giant.

(Gaelic, Welsh, and Cornish-British) Kaer, a castle; figuratively, strong, valiant; car, dear, a kinsman, a friend; Danish, Kier, dear, lovely.

The origin of this family has not hitherto been traced; it appears to be a branch of the Norman house of Espec. Ranulph Espec held lands at Aunou and Astelle, Normandy, from the barony of Albini c. 1030. In 1056 they were granted, with consent of his sons, to Essay Abbey (Gall. Christ. xi. 236 Instr.). Of these sons, William Espec was a great Baron in England 1086, and his brothers Walter and Richard occur.

Walter Espec, his son, t. Henry I. possessed estates in York and Northumberland, and on the death of his son he founded Kirkham Abbey, to which he gave the Church of Carr on Tweed (Burton, Mon. Ebor.). The lordship, however, appears to have been granted to Walter Espec, brother of William, whose sons Robert and William de Carum (Carr or Kerr) held it t. Henry I.; for the former 1165 returned his barony as one fee held by him and his brother t. Henry I. (Liber Niger). Walter de Carum, his son, was deceased before 1207 (Hardy, Obl. et Fin.). Thomas de Carro, his son, was father of William, whose son Richard Fitz-William, with Michael Ker and John Ker (his kinsmen), paid scutage together in Northumberland. This Richard Fitz-William Carr or Ker was seated in Scotland before 1249, as appears by the Chartulary of Melrose (i. 232). His son was father of, 1. Ralph, living 1330; 2. John Kerr of Selkirk Forest, living 1357, ancestor of the Kerrs of Cessford, Earls and Dukes of Roxburgh. Ralph held lands from the Earl of Douglas, named after him Kersheugh. From him ( who d. c. 1350) descended the Kers of Fernihurst, Earls and Marquises of Lothian.

(Scotch), The same as Carr, q. v.

From the Dutch, Karr, Kers; from the Flemish, Kersse; in the Domesday Book, Cari.

Kerr: Two brothers settled in Scotland in the thirteenth century. None knew which was the elder of the two, and neither would yield superiority to the other, and this led to such bitter animosity that in 1590 Robert Kerr of Cessford killed William Kerr of Ancrum in a dispute as to precedence.