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

Kayr, 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 Kayr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kayr in America

Kayr is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kayr surname appeared 133 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 Kayr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kayr 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 Kayr

The surname KAYR is believed to have originated in the Gaelic regions of Scotland and Ireland during the medieval period. Its roots can be traced back to the Old Irish word 'cathair', meaning 'city' or 'fortress'. This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or worked at a prominent city or fortified settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KAYR can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In an entry dated 1150, a man named Gilla-Críst Ua Cathair is mentioned, which translates to 'Gilla-Críst O'Cathair' or 'Gilla-Críst of the City'. This provides evidence that the surname was in use by the 12th century.

In Scotland, the name KAYR is thought to have derived from the place name 'Cathair' or 'Caer', which was often used to refer to fortified settlements or forts built by the ancient Britons. One notable example is the historical figure Fergus Mor mac Eirc, who is said to have founded the kingdom of Dál Riata in the 6th century. His descendants were known as the 'Cenél nGabráin' or 'Kindred of Gabran', and their territory included the Scottish island of Islay, which was formerly known as 'Cathair Inis'.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the KAYR surname appeared in various spellings, such as 'Cair', 'Kair', and 'Keir', reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations. One prominent figure bearing this name was John Keir (c. 1506-1570), a Scottish reformer and Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs.

In the 17th century, the KAYR surname was also found in the records of the Scottish Parliament. For instance, John Keir of Westertown served as a commissioner for Lanarkshire in 1661. Another notable figure was William Keir (1696-1769), a Scottish mathematician and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study of calculus.

As the name spread beyond its original Gaelic heartlands, it also appeared in different forms. In England, for example, the surname was sometimes anglicized as 'Cair' or 'Kair'. One individual of note was John Cair (1700-1765), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

Throughout its long history, the surname KAYR has been borne by numerous individuals across various fields, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who carry this name with roots stretching back to the ancient cities and fortresses of the Celtic world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kayr

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

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 Kayr 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 Kayr 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 Kayr was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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