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Re: Anyone know the origin of kearse and possible info thankyou
in reply to a message by sarah
http://www.houseofnames.com/xq/asp.familycrest_details/s.Kearse/Kearse_family_Crest/Kearse_coat_of_arms/qx/Kearse.htm

The above link says it's English and the spelling variations are Kearsey, Kercey and others. This could be very useful for the search to the origin.

http://www.genealogysurnames.com/pages/Detailed/12354.html

Another link with two possible explanations.

[...There are still many KIERCE families living in Ireland. The name is sometimes spelled KIERSE or KEARSE, and is mostly found in Co. Clare. The Gaelic version is O'CIERSIC and is commonly known in Co. Kerry as KERRISK. It has also been anglicized as HEALY. The earlist known ancestor is a MacFARIAS....]

The same person as the second link, this time with more detailed information. The link is: http://www.rootsweb.com/~fianna/surname/sur11.html

Meaning of the name Ferris:
A corruption of Ferrers (which see). Fferis, in the Welsh, signifies steel

And according to the following link, the name Ferris means 'rock, iron', which has the same quality as steel:
http://www.bubbaboo.com/meaning-of-baby-names.asp?n=Ferris

That's all I could find.
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For our Bamberg,SC line, we are part of the Dutch immigration to New Amsterdam, present day New York. Kier Wouterse from Drenthe, Amsterdam sailed to New Amsterdam with his family. Dutch surnames were patronymic in the 1600's at that time. His children's surname was Kierse/ Kersen/ and later Kearse according to early New York records. William Kierse came down to Charleston ,SC on the Ship Albert circa 1748 and fought in the Revolutionary War with the Saltcatcher / Salkehatchie Patriots. This fact explains why the greatest number of Kierse/ Kearse family is found in these two areas and males of this line carry y- dna which is common in the lowlands of Europe and not in Ireland.
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