Hi there Doug: I am aware of what you are saying (re MacFhearchair) but having been to Scotland seven times and having a Scot in Kinloch-Rannoch say to me in utter disgust, "Ugh, ye canna even say yer name right" I sat down and paid strict attention. Also having taken gaelic classes I also had it expalined to me by two different teachers, and McKercher as I was taught is as I explained, all h letters are silent, There is no K in the Gaelic language, so K becomes C and c becomes a "ka" sound so you get McCarr-kaaer only without the "roll or burr" of the Scot's tongue in the middle..... I know my people after being here ten years changed the spelling in 1843 to try and help the English speakers out a bit and they are henceforth known as MacKaracher..... best way I can explain it... I know Kerr is a Border name, enjoyed Bonnets or' The Border very much, however they the Kerr's are lobbed in with the McKerchers when you are researching in Scotland..... your guess is as good as mine and I do not profess to know who is right and who is wrong, just enjoying the ride!....... cheers.... Jean

----- Original Message ----- From: "Douglas McKercher" <baddog@cyberus.ca To: "Jean Watson" <jean.watson2@ns.sympatico.ca; <mckercher@rootsweb.com Sent: Monday, June 11, 2007 4:11 PM Subject: Re: [MCKERCHER] McKercher families from Scotland to Ontario

Hi Jean, While some stray Kerr (pardon the pun) may have changed his name from McKercher, Kerr, or Carr as the English spell it, is a well established Border family (on both sides) that dates back at least as far as the original eponymous Farquhar or Fearchar of MacKerchar. They are Norman French, and the name is probably a placename in origin. Breton 'Kaer' means a town or city.

By the way, in Gaelic, MacFhearchair is actually pronounced MacKerracher, with the extra syllable in the middle, much as some English-speakers say 'ath-a-letic'. Thus the varying English spellings. Nineteenth-century Gaelic-speakers pronounced the English spelling 'McKercher' that way, without needing to add the extra -a-.

Regards, Doug McKercher

I have not hear of this spelling (Keach) but nothing surprises me. In Scotland they say all Kerrs are actually McKerrachers.... and have them listed in the births and christenings under the same heading..... since it is still in the Gaelic people over here could not seem to get their tongue around it so various spellings have happened. K in Gaelic is actually pronounced as a "C" and C in Gaelic becomes a "K",

..... all H's are silent.... so the name comes up as Mac Cerker if you pronounce it as they do in Scotland.... not much help I fear.... Jean