The Motto is, "Fortitudine" which translates, with fortitude.
The colour Azure (Blue) in the coat of arms of the family Barr
symbolizes Loyalty and Truth. It also reflects the hopes,
ambitions and aspirations of its original bearer.
The surname Barr is most frequently found at present day in the districts around
Glasglow. In the 1300's however it was most frequently found in the Ayshire area.
The Dunbars are descended from Crinan the Thane and Seneschal of the Isle,
born about 975A.D. He was the father of King Duncan 1 and of Maldred,
whose son Gospatric, was confirmed in the Earldom of Norhumbria by William the
Conqueror in 1067. In 1072 he was deprived of the Earldom and fleed to Scotland
with Edgar Atheling at the Norman Conquest, was given Dunbar and the adjacent lands
(Haddington-now East Lothian) by Molcom Canmore, thus becoming Earl of Dunbar.
The Gaelic meaning of Dunbar is, Dun, the fort (stronghold) at the summit,
bar, hill top, hence the meaning "Dweller at hil-top or summit.
On the back it says, "It is certified and declared that the Armorial Bearings,
Arms and Crest hereon depicted do of right belong and appertain to the family "Barr"
of Scotland and display on the Clan Dunbar tartan. It says that the Arms for Barr
and Barry are the same. There is some history about the name Dunbar also on the back.
This version of the MacAlister of Glenbarr tartan is the same as the
MacGillivray hunting tartan.
DESENDANTS OF JOHN AND EMMA BARR
Mr John Barr was born in Ayeshire, Scotland in 1858.
Two years later John Barr was brought here out to Lyttleton New Zealand by
his father,Mr Porteous Barr, in the ship "William Miles". Soon after their arrival,
The family settled at Courteny, where Mr P Barr senior took up land and
remained there for ten years. Mr P Barr farmed in the Annat District for twenty years
(Mountain Meadows Farm), after which he went to Gisbourn,
where he resided up to the time of his death (1894).
He was chairman and member of the Sheffield Road Board for several years,
and also served on the local school.
