The Adair surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 18,708 people carried this name — #1,927 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 15,800 people counted. That is up 4% from 17,969 in 2000.

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Where the name comes from

The origin of the Adair surname

A Scottish surname from Scottish Gaelic.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Adair» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 29 births for the Adair name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,300 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “19 in Antrim, 6 in Down, and 2 in Londonderry.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 27
Leinster 1
Munster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

Adair was recorded 26 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 937th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 43. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

19 families named Adair, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 127 people lived in those households, 6.7 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

South Carolina 11
Maryland 3
New York 2
Pennsylvania 2
North Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 227 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Adair in American newspapers,
1896–1901.

Newspaper page from The Daily Morning Astorian carrying the name Adair
The Daily Morning Astorian 1896-05-21
Newspaper page from The Daily Morning Astorian carrying the name Adair
The Daily Morning Astorian 1896-05-24
Newspaper page from The Morning Astorian carrying the name Adair
The Morning Astorian 1901-01-11

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 212,240 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Adair in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

21,113 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Adair. The most, 4,834, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Queensland, at 2.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 10,449
Victoria 4,101
New South Wales 3,494
Western Australia 1,402
South Australia 1,268
Tasmania 265
ACT (Canberra) 94
Northern Territory 13

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Adair.

Who carried it

People named Adair,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Robert Adair
    Robert Adair 1711–1790 · physician
  • James Adair
    James Adair 1743–1798 · lawyer
  • John Adair
    John Adair 1757–1840 · military personnel
  • Anne Adair
    Anne Adair 1760–
  • Robert Adair
    Robert Adair 1763–1855 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — Robert Adair: unknown author, CC BY 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 187 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Adair,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,429 records

1,429 records of the Adair name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 700
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 259
  • Other U.S. records 470
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Joe V. Adair

    Born 1907 in Oklahoma. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Sill; driller from Bryan County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1977, buried at Fort Gibson National Cemetery, Oklahoma.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jessie Adair

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the City of Rome from Moville, aged 21; servant. From Glasgow, Scotland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Harvey Gene Adair

    Born 1947; from Kingsburg, California. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,429 records for Adair in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia388 records

388 records of the Adair name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 229
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 70
  • Other Australian records 89
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Charles Adair

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Emerald Isle, sailing from Sheerness in 1843. Native of Edinburgh, Midlothian.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Adair

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the Donald Mackay, aged 30; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record Alexander A. Adair

    Enlisted in 1915 with the 8th Battalion; killed in action. Honoured on the Ballarat Avenue of Honour.

    City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU)

Showing 3 of 388 records for Adair in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

Canada92 records

92 records of the Adair name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 21
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 20
  • Other Canadian records 51
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Frank Adair

    Came to Ontario in 1873 aboard the Prussian, landing at Quebec, bound for Newmarket, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Robert Adair

    Killed in 1921 at the Bras d'Or No. 4 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Allen Adair

    Buried in 1980 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 67.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 92 records for Adair in Canada.

Counts: Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand19 records

19 records of the Adair name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 15
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 2
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Walter Adair

    Buried in 1884 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 35.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Doreen Esmay Adair

    Died 1987, aged 50; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record J. Adair

    New Zealand Infantry. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 19 records for Adair in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

United Kingdom12 records

12 records of the Adair name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 9
  • Stirling Council burial records 2
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Stewart Adair

    Will proved in 1929; of RhosOn-Sea, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record R. M. Adair

    Royal Irish Rifles. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Adair

    Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 12 records for Adair in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Adair name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Mabel Marguerite Adair

    In a population register; governess, born 1888 in Lausanne.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Maij Lilian Adair

    Married in 1938 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register John Adair

    In the population register of Leeuwarden; born 1885.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Adair.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Adair is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Adair volume
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