Adair Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Adair last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Adair coat of arms for you.
Meaning and origin of the Adair last name
Meaning of the Adair last name: from Edgar, 'rich spear'. Adair is a Scottish surname from a Gaelic form of the personal name Edgar, from Old English ead, "riches", and gar, "spear". The last name belongs to Galloway and spread to Ulster. Many bearers went to the American South, where Adair County in several states is named after them.
Arms associated with the Adair name
In Scottish heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Adair name are personal, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Adair family history
This is only a glimpse of the Adair story. The full Adair 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 Adair coat of arms. Get the full Adair report.
Adair name FAQ
What does the Adair name mean?
from Edgar, 'rich spear'. Common variants include Edgar, Adaire.
Where does the Adair surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Canada, Australia and Northern Ireland.
Is there a Adair coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Adair 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).