'Ker01'Index links to: Lead / Letter
Families covered: Ker of Auldtounburn (Altonburn), Ker of Caverton, Ker of Cessford, Kerr of Lothian, Ker of Roxburghe, Ker of Samuelston

                               
This family is thought to be of Norse origin. The name is normally spelt either Ker or Kerr though it is likely that various families named Carr are also descended from this family. Although we may not always be consistent, we try to follow the apparent preferences of the family and so spell the name as Ker for the senior line that led to the Earls & Dukes of Roxburghe and as Kerr for the branch that led to the Earls & Marquesses of Lothian. There are various 12th/13th century references to people of this name, including the Kers of Kersland, but the first known to be an ancestor of the family covered below was ...
John Ker of the Forest of Selkirk, 1st of Altonburn (a 1358)
m. Mariota
1. Henry Ker of Auldtounburn, Sheriff of Roxburgh (a 1361) thought to have been the father of ...
  i. Robert Ker of Auldtounburn (a 1404)
  a. Richard Ker of Auldtounburn (dsp 01.1437-8)
  b. Andrew Ker of Cessford and Auldtounburn (d c12.1444)
  (1) Andrew Ker of Cessford and Auldtounburn (d before 08.1484)
  m1. ?? Douglas (dau of William Douglas, 2nd of Cavers)
  It is known that this wife was the mother of at least the two elder sons but it is possible that Margaret, Andrew's second wife, was mother of one or more of the other children.
  (A) Andrew Ker, younger of Cessford and Auldtounburn (dvp before 27.04.1467)
  m. Margaret Hepburn (dau of Sir Patrick Hepburn, 1st Lord of Hailes)
  (i) Margaret Ker
  m. (?) John Home of Ersilton and Whiterigs
  There is some doubt on this marriage as the Home records indicate that the Margaret Ker who married John Home was daughter of James Ker of Gateshead.
  (B) Walter Ker of Caverton, later of Cessford (d 25.11.1501)
m1. ?? (before 27.09.1443) Isabel Hay (dau of John Hay, Lord of Yester)
  It is thought, by reference to the dates, that Walter's children were by his first wife (who is reported to have been Isabel Hay as above) but there is some doubt both as to her identity and on whether or not she was mother of all of the children.
  (i) Sir Robert Ker of Caverton, younger of Cessford (dvp before 06.11.1500)
  m. (mcrt 12.02.1484) Christian Rutherford (dau of James Rutherford of that ilk)
  (a) Sir Andrew Ker of Cessford (d 24.07.1526)
  m. (before 20.02.1509-10) Agnes Crichton (dau of Sir Patrick Crichton of Cranstoun Riddell)
  ((1)) Sir Walter Ker of Cessford (d 01.05.1581)
  m. (before 27.09.1543) Isabel Ker (d 01.05.1585, dau of Sir Andrew Kerr of Ferniehirst)
((A)) Sir Andrew Ker of Caverton, younger of Cessford (dvp)
  partner(s) unknown
  ((i))+ 2 daughters
  ((B)) William Ker of Cessford (d 02.1600)
  m. (mcrt 03.03.1563-4) Janet Douglas (dau of Sir James Douglas, 7th of Drumlanrig)
  ((i)) Sir Robert Ker, 1st Earl of Roxburghe (b c1570, d 18.01.1650)
  m1. (05.12.1587) Margaret Maitland (dau of William Maitland of Lethington)
  ((a)) William Ker, Master of Roxburghe (dvp unm before 19.08.1618)
  ((b)) Jean Ker (d 10.1662)
  m. (mcrt 08.1613) John Drummond, 2nd Earl of Perth (d 11.06.1662)
William Drummond, a younger son of this marriage, assumed the name of Ker and became 2nd Earl of Roxburghe.
  ((c)) Isabel Ker
  m. (mcrt 04.08.1618) James Scrymgeour, 2nd Viscount of Dudhope (d Marston Moor 23.07.1644)
  ((d)) Mary Ker (d 04.1650)
  m1. James Halyburton of Pitcur
m2. (mcrt 18/21.02.1629) James Carnegie, 2nd Earl of Southesk (d 03.1669)
  m2. (03.02.1614) Jean Drummond (d 07.10.1643, dau of Patrick Drummond, 3rd Lord)
  ((e)) Harry Ker, Lord Ker (d 01.02.1643)
m. (mcrt 1638) Margaret Hay (d 04.1695, dau of William Hay, 10th Earl of Erroll)
  (((1))) Jean Ker
  m. (mcrt 17.05.1655) William Drummond (later Ker), 2nd Earl of Roxburghe (d 02.07.1675)
  (((2))) Anne Ker (d 11.1673)
  m. (mcrt 05.12.1660) John Fleming, 4th Earl of Wigtown
  (((3))) Margaret Ker
  m. (18.07.1666) Sir James Innes, 3rd Bart of Innes
  It was a consequence of this marriage that the Dukedom of Roxburghe later went into the Innes family.
((ii)) Sir Mark Ker of Ormiston (dsp 09.1603)
  ((iii)) Margaret Ker
  m. (mcrt 01.10.1586) Sir Walter Scott, 1st Lord of Buccleuch (d 15.12.1611)
  ((iv)) Elizabeth Ker
  m. (21.04.1601) Sir James Bellenden of Broughton (d 03.11.1606)
  ((C)) Thomas Ker
  ((D)) Agnes Ker
m. John Edmonstone, younger of that ilk
  ((E)) Isobel Ker --
  m. John Rutherford of Hunthill (a 05.1573) --
  ((F)) Margaret Ker (d before 1565)
  m. (before 1558) Alexander Home, 5th Lord (d 08.1575)
  ((2)) Mark Kerr (d 29.08.1584, Commendator of Newbattle (not Newbottle))
  m. (before 30.04.1567) Helen Leslie (d 26.10.1594, dau of George Leslie, 4th Earl of Rothes)
  ((A)) Mark Kerr, 1st Earl of Lothian (b c20.02.1558, d 08.04.1609)
m. (before 1592) Margaret Maxwell (d 08.01.1617, dau of Sir John Maxwell, 4th Lord Herries of Terregles)
  ((i)) Robert Kerr, 2nd Earl of Lothian (d 06.03.1624)
  m. (mcrt 05.1611) Annabella Campbell (d 1652, dau of Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Argyll)
  ((a)) Anne Kerr, 'Countess of Lothian' (d 26.03.1667)
  m. (09.12.1631) Sir William Kerr of Ancrum, 3rd Earl of Lothian (b c1605, d 10.1675)
  ((b)) Joanna Kerr
  ((c)) ? Charles Kerr (dvpsp)
  ((ii)) Sir William Kerr of Blackhope
  ((iii)) Sir Mark Kerr of Mauldslie (d 11.1652)
  partner unknown
  ((a)) James Kerr
((iv)) James Kerr (d 1625)
  ((v)) John Kerr (dsp)
  ((vi)) Jean Kerr (d 17.08.1632)
  m1. Robert, Master of Boyd (dvp 05.1597)
  m2. (before 16.04.1610) David Lindsay, 12th Earl of Crawford
  m3. (before 16.02.1618) Thomas Hamilton of Robertoun
  ((vii)) Janet Kerr (b c1580) --
  m. (1609) William Cunningham, 8th Earl of Glencairn (b c1575, d 10.1631) --
  ((viii)) Margaret Kerr (b c1570, d 15.03.1645)
  m1. (c05.1592) James Hay, 7th Lord of Yester (d 03.02.1609)
  m2. (c12.1614) Sir Andrew Kerr, Master of Jedburgh (dvpsp 20.12.1628)
((ix)) Isabel Kerr (d 1628)
  m. William Douglas, 1st Earl of Queensberry (d 08.03.1640)
  ((x)) Lilias Kerr (d 10.07.1659)
  m. (before 1616) John Borthwick, 8th Lord (d 11.1623)
  ((xi)) Mary Kerr
  m. Sir James Richardson of Smeatoun
  ((xii)) Elizabeth Kerr
  m. (mcrt 1598) Sir Alexander Hamilton of Fenton, younger of Innerwick
  ((B)) Andrew Kerr of Fentoun and Romanno Grange (bur 11.1623)
  m. Isabella Whitlaw
  ((i)) George Kerr
((C)) George Kerr (a 1593)
  ((D)) William Kerr (a 1613, dspms)
  m. Jean Johnston (dau of James Johnston, younger of that ilk)
  ((E)) Catherine Kerr (d 03.1600)
  m. William Maxwell, 5th Lord Herries of Terregles (b c1555, d 10.10.1603)
  ((3)) Andrew Kerr (a 1553)
  m. Marion Pringle (d 05.1560)
((4)) Catherine Kerr --
  m. Sir John Kerr of Ferniehirst (d 1562) --
  ((5)) Margaret Kerr
  m. Sir John Home of Cowdenknows (d before 11.1573)
  ((6)) Isabel Kerr possibly of this generation
  m. Sir William Sinclair of Roslin (d before 1567)
(b) George Ker of Fawdonside ancestor of Kers of Fawdonside
  m. Margaret Haliburton (dau of Patrick Haliburton, Lord of Dirleton)
  ((1)) several sons
  (ii) Mark Ker of Dolphingston, Maxton & Littledean (d 1551) ancestor of Kers of Littledean
  m. Marjorie Ainslie (dau of John Ainslie of Dolphingston)
  (iii) Elizabeth Ker (d 19.10.1548) --
  m1. (mcrt 12.02.1484-5) Philip Rutherford, younger of that ilk (dvp)
  m2. (before 23.10.1495) Sir Walter Scott of Branxholme & Buccleuch (d before 15.04.1504) --
  (iv)+ other issue - Ralph, Margaret
  m2. Agnes Crichton (dau of William Crichton, 1st Lord, Chancellor)
  (C) Thomas Kerr of Smailholm, 1st of Ferniehirst (d before 24.06.1484) --
  m. Margaret Ker (dau of Sir Thomas Ker of Ferniehirst) --
(D) Robert Ker, Abbot of Kelso (d before 24.06.1505)
  (E) William Ker of Yair, Boithill, etc (a 1507) ancestor of Kers of Yair
  (F) Ralph Ker possibly ancestor of Kers of Greenhead (see here)
  (G) George Ker of Samuelston (d before 12.02.1506)
  George is shown by various web sites as of this family, this generation, this marriage. TCP (Home) shows his daughter Nichola's mother as Mariot Sinclair but that must be wrong as Nichola must have been born by c1470 (her eldest son was b before 1485) whilst Mariota's 1st husband did not die until 1497. Thanks to a contributor (RL, 17.10.13) for reporting that, according to RMS (1424-1513 #840 & 1513-1546 #1111) there were 2 Georges as follows.
  m. Elizabeth Carmichael
  (i) George Ker of Samuelston (d(sp?) before 12.01.1532)
  m. Mariota St. Clair (dau of John St. Clair of Hermandston by Katherine Home)
(ii) Nichola Ker, heiress of Samuelston (a 05.1519, d before 02.01.1527/8, 2nd dau) --
  m1. (before 22.03.1492/3) Alexander Home, 2nd Lord (d 09.09.1506) --
  m2. (c1508) Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie (d Flodden 09.09.1513) --
  (H) Margaret Ker (d before 09.07.1532) --
  m1. Sir James Sandilands of Calder (d before 1505) --
  m2. (sp) William Hay, 3rd (sb 4th?) Earl of Erroll
  m2. Margaret Tweedie (dau of ?? Tweedie of Drummelzier)
  (2) James Ker of Primside (a 1451) ancestor of Kers of Linton
  (3) Thomas Ker (a 1451) ancestor of Kers of Gateshaw
  (4) Margaret Ker
  m/p. (?) George Roule, younger of Primside
  b. daughter possibly of this generation
  m. William Ainslie of Dolphinstone (d c1430)
2.+ other issue - John (of Auldtounburn ?), Robert

Main source(s): TSP (Roxburghe), BP1934 (Roxburghe), BP1934 (Lothian)
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