The Hair surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 7,814 people carried this name — #4,539 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 37,700 people counted. That is down 5% from 8,231 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the Hair surname

As a Scottish Gaelic and Irish surname, from ó héir (“descendant of Ír”), a personal name related to Old Irish sír (“long-lasting”), similar to Hare, O'Hare, Haire.

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

In Argentina’s national register

At least 26 people named Hair live in Argentina.

RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.

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

Where they live today

Buenos Aires Province 26

RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.

In Scotland’s registers today

Hair was recorded 14 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1484th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 25. 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 print

Hair in American newspapers,
1901–1928.

Newspaper page from Plentywood Herald carrying the name Hair
Plentywood Herald 1928-11-08
Newspaper page from The Hattiesburg News carrying the name Hair
The Hattiesburg News 1912-11-29
Newspaper page from The Meridional carrying the name Hair
The Meridional 1901-02-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,000 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Hair in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

28,933 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Hair. The most, 4,510, date from the 1930s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 8,463
New South Wales 7,946
Queensland 4,709
Western Australia 3,826
South Australia 2,748
Tasmania 997
ACT (Canberra) 94
Northern Territory 11

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

Who carried it

People named Hair,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Jean Evelyn Hair d. 2000
  • Ben Hair 1892–1974 · Australian rules football player
  • Alex Hair 1902–1970 · association football player
  • John Bruce Hair 1909–1979 · botanical collector
  • Nellie Donovan-Hair 1913–2003 · writer
  • Warren Hair 1918–2006 · basketball player

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Hair,
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 States545 records

545 records of the Hair name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 274
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 81
  • Other U.S. records 190
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record William G. Hair

    Born 1915 in Georgia. Enlisted 1941 at Camp Blanding, Florida; mechanic from Duval County, Florida. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1990, buried at Florida National Cemetery, Florida.

    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 Jean Hair

    Arrived at New York in 1853 aboard the Elvira Owens from Havre, aged 30; farmer. From Wurtemberg, Germany.

    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 Robert Lee Hair

    Born 1948; from Monticello, Florida. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam.

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

Showing 3 of 545 records for Hair in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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). 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).

Australia335 records

335 records of the Hair name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 156
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 90
  • 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 William Hair

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Canton, sailing from London in 1839. Native of Dumfries, Dumfriesshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1844. Married 1844 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 38.

    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 Agnes Hair

    Arrived in Victoria in 1855 aboard the Champion of the Seas, aged 38; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Annie F. Hair

    Retired nurse of Bullaburra, New South Wales; died 1958.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 335 records for Hair 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) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada16 records

16 records of the Hair name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 6
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 6
  • Other Canadian records 4
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Hair

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Moravian, landing at Quebec, bound for Owen Sound, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Dougald Hair

    Died 1927; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John George Hair

    Died 1935 in Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 16 records for Hair in Canada.

Counts: 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. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · 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); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom8 records

8 records of the Hair name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 1
  • Other British records 2
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record David Hair

    Born 1900 at Glasgow. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Dora Bannatyne Hair

    Buried in 1965 at Killin Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 55.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Catherine Hair

    Buried in 1811 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 78.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 8 records for Hair in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Hair name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 3
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Leicester Sydney Hair

    Died 1997, aged 84; buried at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    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 William Hair

    Died 1882, aged 84; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Donald Hair

    Died 1995, aged 91; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Hair in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · 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).

Netherlands3 records

3 records of the Hair name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 2
  • Dutch population registers 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Willem Hair

    Married in 1604 in Heusden.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Catharina Wilhelmina Aletta Hair

    In the population register of Tiel; born 1823.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Rivierenland (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Joanna Hair

    Baptised in 1634 in Deventer.

    Open Archives, Collectie Overijssel, locatie Deventer (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Hair.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Hair 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 Hair volume
Scroll to Top