AND ABOUT THIS SURNAME 

                        And how did this name MacKercher .. or McKercher .. or better 
                        yet, McKerchar .. take root? 
                        The best on the origins of our name I have found comes from 
                        Gordon Frazer Black's book THE SURNAMES OF SCOTLAND 
                        Their Origin, Meaning and History: 

                        "MACERCHAR, MACFARQUHAR, MACKERCHAR, 
                        MACKERCHER, MACKERACHER, MACKERRACHER, 
                        MACKERICHAR, MACKERRICHER. Gaelic MacFlearfchair, 
                        'son of Farquhar," Farquharson is the English rendition of 
                        the name. Malmur MacHercar appears in the reign of William the 
                        Lion (1165-1214). The lands of Lochman M'Kilcolin 
                        M''Erewer, Enegus McErewar, and others in Kintyre were erected 
                        in the sheriffdom of Kintyre in 1291. Lawemond 
                        McGreghare (error for McEregere) and Annes (+Agnus) son of 
                        Duncan McGregere (=McEregere were summoned to do 
                        homage to King John Baliol, 1292. McBain says Angus has been 
                        claimed as chief of Macintosh though really of the Lamonts 
                        (the Clan also with McKerchers in it). John filius Lagmanni filii 
                        Aecolmi (for Malcomi) M'Ferchar, c. 1295. Yvar 
                        McFarchard, to whom a payment was made from the fermes of 
                        Inverness in 1327, appears in the following year as Eugene 
                        McErchar. In 1337 payment was made to Thomas, son Ewary 
                        McFerchary in Moray. Malcolm Makkarocher was tenant 
                        under the Earl of Lennox, 1492. Donald McFarfquhar, tenant of 
                        Dumnamark, Ardmanoch, 1504. Ferquhardus Mcowne 
                        McArchare and Moricus Mcowne McArchare were parishioners of

                        Duthil, vassal, 1638. Alexander M'Kerquhar i Dinra, 
                        1632 (Caithness), and Donald M'Archer in the parish of Callender in

                        the same year. Angus M'Kerrichare and Paul Mean vic 
                        "Errochar in Sheba were denounced rebels, 1675. John M'Ericar in 
                        Dale 1677, and Gilbert M'archar in Elsdale (Argyl). 
                        Several LM'Kerchars or M'Kerchers were among the Duke of 
                        Athol's fencible men enrolled in Glen Lyon, 1706. The 
                        Perthshire M'Kerachers are descended from Donald Farquharson 
                        who married a daughter of Patrick Duncanson of Robertson, 
                        first of Lude. The name also appears in old records as M'Carracher 
                        (M'Caraher) and M'Carrower, abbreviated to M'Arar 
                        and M'Erar. Patrick M'Araquhare 1540, McArquhar 1504, 
                        FcFerqhrr 1583, McFerquare 1656, Vic Erqr 1721." 

                        In recent correspondence I received from Iain McKerchar of the 
                        United Kingdom, I learned this additional valuable insight. I shall 
                        quote Iain directly, 
                        "The name McKerchar and its various forms does indeed mean 
                        Farquharson or 
                        Son of Farquhar. It is actually an attempt to write the Gaelic name 
                        in 
                        English script. The Gaelic form is Mac Fhearchair. Mac is obviously

                        'the 
                        son of' and Fhearchair is the genitive form of Fearchar - Farquhar. 
                        In 
                        Gaelic the genitive is formed by adding an 'h' after the initial vowel 
                        (this is called leniting the vowel). So Fearchar becomes Fhearchair 
                        (the 
                        additional 'i' at the end is probably there for "balance"). The Gaels 
                        pronounce Fearchar as Ferracher, adding an auxillary but unwritten 
                        vowel. When 'F' is lenited it becomes silent so Fhearchair is 
                        prounced 
                        Erracher. Try to write that lot in English script and you get 
                        Mackerracher which gives rise to all the variations in spelling." 

                        In 1798, my great grandfather was born to and named Fercher 
                        McKercher by his parents Duncan McKercher and Catherine 
                        McLellan. When Fercher married in 1825, he had become Farquhar 
                        McKerchar. He and his wife Elizabeth named my grandfather 
                        Farquhar McKerchar when he was born in 1844. By his marriage in

                        1878 in the United States, he was Farquhar McKercher. His two 
                        sons, Frederick and Donald .. my father .. and their descendants all 
                        spell it MacKercher. 

                        Scottish genealogists concede almost every Scot through some line 
                        of ancestry can connect himself with Scotland's royal line. Why 
                        then, can't we MacKerchers, McKerchars and McKerrichers point 
                        to our names' development over the past 1400 years as a basis for
                        proclaiming ourselves to be kin to royalty past. What, you might
                        legitimately inquire is the warrant for such brash speculation?
                        Consider the following. In about 500 A. D., three brothers .. Fergus,
                        Angus and Lorne .. "led a fresh Scottish invasion from Ireland and
                        established a new dynasty with its stronghold at Dunadd near
                        Crinan". Fergus mor McEarc .. although an Irishman .. became
                        Scotland's first king. Now I ask you kind readers .... given the
                        weaknesses and oversights of the intervening scribes, can't we
                        suggest with an almost straight face that it's not such a stenuous
                        leap from mor McEarc to McKerchar???? ;-)