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).

An old Border surname of local or territorial origin. The Lothian branch of the family spells the name Kerr and the Roxburgh branch Ker. In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries often spelled Carr. The Lancashire place name Carr is from ON. kjarr, 'copsewood, brushwood.' Johannes Ker, venator (i.e. 'huntor') aput Swhynhope (now Soonhope near Peebles), one of the witnesses to the Diuise de Stobbo, c. 1190 (REG., 104), is the first of the name recorded in Border history. William Ker was witness to an agreement between the burgh of Irvine and Brice of Eglunstone (Eglinton) in 1205 (Irvine, I, p. 3). Richard Ker held the lands of Ylifistun (now Eliston) in Roxburghshire, in the reign of Alexander II, and Thomas Kaurr was sheriff of Roxburgh, 1264. The ship of Thomas Ker, merchant of Aberdeen, was plurdered at sea by the English in 1273, and Richard Ker was summoned to answer to a charge of trespass at Fenewicke, 1279 (Bain, II, 9, 10,149). Thomas Keyr or Kayr swore fealty at Kyngorne, 1291, and in 1296 was juror on an inquisition anent the lands of Disaide (Dysart) (ibid., II, p. 124,204, 216). William Kerre of Ayrshire, Henry Ker of Edinburghshire, and Nicol Kerre of Peeblesshire rendered homage in 1296 (ibid., p. 199,203, 207), and Wylliam Ker was one of an inquest on the lands of Lady Elena la Zuche in Conyngham, Ayrshire, 1296 (ibid., p. 216). John Kerr obtained a charter of all the lands and tenements in Auldtounburn resigned by John de Copeland, dated Monday after the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, 1357, and another to him and his wife Mariot of part of the lands of Molle and Auldtounburn in the regality of Sproustoun resigned by William de Blackdene in 1358 (Roxburghe, p. 8). John Keor of Culter was juror in Lanark, 1432 (RAA., II, 65), and Huchon Ker witnessed sealing of an inquest anent a fishing on the Tweed, 1467 (RD., p. 359). Walter Carr of Sesseford was one of the ambassadors of James, king of Scotland, 1491 (Bain, IV, 1577). Car 1515, Kar 1680, Karre 1422, Kere 1493; Cer. The name of the family of Ker of Graden appears in 1686 as Care Karr Karr and Kerr. See under Cakr.

(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.

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.