Find out how popular the last name Addair is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Addair.

Addair, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Addair surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Addair in America

Addair is the 30076th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Addair surname appeared 780 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Addair.

We can also compare 2010 data for Addair to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Addair

The surname Addair has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "adhamh," meaning "fire" or "flame." The name may have been given to someone who lived near a notable fire or worked as a blacksmith or in a similar trade involving fire.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Addair can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document that recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. This suggests that the Addair family had established roots in Scotland by the late 13th century.

In the 15th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Addair, a Scottish knight who fought alongside King James IV at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. His bravery and loyalty to the Scottish crown were recorded in contemporary accounts of the battle.

Over time, the name Addair evolved into various spellings, including Adair, Adeir, and Adeyr. These variations can be found in historical records and manuscripts from different regions of Scotland, reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions in medieval times.

In the 16th century, the Addair family established roots in the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the counties of Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. This area was known for its turbulent history, with frequent border raids and conflicts between Scotland and England.

One prominent member of the Addair family during this period was Robert Addair, who was born in 1547 in Berwickshire. He served as a local magistrate and landowner, and his name appears in several legal documents and property records from the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Addairs continued to play a role in Scottish history. In 1649, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a man named William Addair fought alongside the Scottish Covenanter forces against the English Parliamentarians. His actions were documented in contemporary accounts of the conflict.

As the Addair family spread throughout Scotland and beyond, they contributed to various fields and professions. In the 18th century, James Addair (1714-1789) was a renowned Scottish architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Old College at the University of Edinburgh.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Addair (1781-1861), a Scottish politician and diplomat who served as the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th century. His diplomatic efforts during this pivotal period were widely recognized and documented.

Throughout its history, the surname Addair has maintained a strong connection to its Scottish roots, reflecting the rich cultural heritage and resilience of the Addair family.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Addair

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Addair.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Addair was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Addair has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Addair was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Addair, please contact us.

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