McNair
An Irish and Scottish surname usually understood as a form of Mac an t-Saoir, meaning “son of the carpenter” or “son of the craftsman.”
The #2,191 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 18,605 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McNair is usually treated as an anglicized Gaelic surname. In Scottish and Irish usage it is often linked to Mac an t-Saoir, from mac “son of” and saor “carpenter, craftsman.” In older spelling and pronunciation, this could appear in forms that were later simplified to McNair. Some historical writers also connected similar-looking forms with other Gaelic names, so the exact derivation can vary by family line and region.
History
The name is found in both Irish and Scottish records, especially in Gaelic-speaking areas where surnames based on occupations or family relationships were common. In the English-speaking world it became fixed in several spellings, including MacNair and McNair. Modern bearers in North America and elsewhere may descend from either Irish or Scottish immigrant lines.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because Gaelic surnames were often reshaped by English spelling, one family’s McNair line and another’s MacNair line may share an origin but not always the same local history.
From the historical record
“McManus. Irish manus (great) McNab. See Abbs McNair. Gael. Macaire ; p.n. (son of the heir) McNamara. Irish (son of the sea)”
— British Family Names: their origin and meaning (2nd ed.)