Keir Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Keir last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Keir last name
Meaning of the Keir last name: from Keir. Keir is a Scottish surname from Keir in Stirlingshire, from Brittonic caer, "fort", or from Gaelic ciar, "dark". It is found in Perthshire and Stirlingshire. The given name Keir, as in Keir Hardie, founder of the Labour Party, comes from this last name, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer was named after him.
Arms associated with the Keir name
In Scottish heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Keir name are personal, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Keir family history
This is only a glimpse of the Keir story. The full Keir history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Keir coat of arms. Get the full Keir report.
Keir name FAQ
What does the Keir name mean?
From Keir. Common variants include Kerr, Keyr.
Where does the Keir surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Keir coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Keir coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).