John Ker of Selkirk

TITLE: Laird of AULDTOUNBURN

NOTE:

John Kerr of the Forest of Selkirk; had a charter of part of Auldtounburn 5 Feb 1357/8 and another 4 Oct 1358 to himself and his w Mariot of a further part, together with the lands of Molle; had eldest grandson Robert. [Burke's Peerage]

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 but the first known to be an ancestor of this family was ... John Ker of the Forest of Selkirk, 1st of Altonburn (a 1358) m. Mariota