This interesting and unusual name is of Scottish origin, and is locational from the town of this name, which is east of Inverness. The town is named from the river at whose mouth it stands; the river name is of ancient and unknown origin. Locational surnames were developed when former inhabitants of a place moved to another area, usually to seek work, and were best identified by the name of their birthplace. The name development since 1361 (see below) includes the following: Peter Nerne (1601, Scotland) and Edward Nairne (1752, Northumberland). The modern surname can be found as Nairn, Nairne, Nern and Nerne. Among the sample recordings in Scotland are the christenings of George, son of Robert Nairn and Anna Mossman, on October 27th 1691 at Inverness, and the marriage of Donald Nairn and Isobell McEuan on January 18th 1714 at Cromdale and Inverallan and Advie, Inverness. A Coat of Arms granted to the Nairn family of St. Forth or Sandford, in Fife, depicts a shield divided per pale silver and black on a chaplet four mullets counterchanged. The Crest is a celestial sphere in gold and blue standing on a red foot, and the motto "L'esperance me comfort", translates as "Hope comforts me". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Adam de Narryn, which was dated 1361, Inverness, Scotland, during the reign of King David 11 of Scotland, 1329-1371. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.