Marr, Scotland

The genesis of the name Marr is uncertain. Mar, a Brittonic personal name, may be involved.{{cite web |last=Mac an Tàilleir |first=Iain |title=Gaelic Place names - K-O |url=https://www.parliament.scot/Gaelic/placenamesK-O.pdf |website=Scottish Parliament |access-date=1 May 2020 |archive-date=4 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104025833/http://www.parliament.scot/Gaelic/placenamesK-O.pdf |url-status=dead }} Further possibilities include a connection with the ethnic names Marsi and Marsigni of Italy and Bohemia,{{cite book |last1=Watson |first1=W.J. |last2=Taylor |first2=Simon |title=The Celtic Place-Names of Scotland |date=2011 |publisher=Birlinn LTD |isbn=9781906566357 |edition=reprint }} or a derivation from Old Norse marr meaning "sea, marsh, fen".{{cite book |last=Hanks |first=Patrick |title=Dictionary of American Family Names: 3-Volume Set |date=8 May 2003 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=United States |isbn=9780195081374 |page=521 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vG7MZ9J6dAgC |access-date=1 May 2020}}

American academic Thomas Clancy has noted cautiously the similarity between the territory names Buchan and Marr to those of the Welsh commotes Cantref Bychan and Cantref Mawr, meaning "large commote" and "small commote", respectively.{{cite web |last=Rhys |first=Guto |title=Approaching the Pictish language: historiography, early evidence and the question of Pritenic |url=https://theses.gla.ac.uk/6285/7/2015RhysPhD.pdf |access-date=28 August 2024 |website=University of Glasgow |publisher=University of Glasgow}} Linguist Guto Rhys adjudged the proposal "appealing" but "questionable", on the basis that the form Marr conflicts with the expected development of mawr.

To the west, the mountain environment of the Cairngorms National Park sustains a well-developed tourist industry based on heritage and outdoor pursuits. Forestry and livestock farming are key industries, particularly in remoter areas. Part of the area has qualified for EU financial assistance. To the east, Marr has experienced population growth due to its strong commuter links with the city of Aberdeen.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}

The committee area consists of three wards of Aberdeenshire council:

• Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside
• Banchory and Mid-Deeside
• Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford{{Cite web |title=Area Committee Membership |url=http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/councillors/AreaCommitteeMembership.asp |date=18 February 2009 |publisher=Aberdeenshire Council |access-date=2 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090917074525/http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/councillors/AreaCommitteeMembership.asp |archive-date=17 September 2009}}

Between them the three wards elect ten councillors to the 68-member council.{{Cite web |title=Councillors |url=http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/councillors/index.asp |date=29 April 2009 |publisher=Aberdeenshire Council |access-date=2 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803065914/http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/councillors/index.asp |archive-date=3 August 2009}}

{{Clear}}

File:Mar (historical district).PNGMarr is named after Mar, one of the historic provinces of Scotland, extending from north of the Don southward to the Mounth.{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Mar, Earldom of|volume=17|page=665|first=John Horace|last=Round|authorlink=J. Horace Round}} Like other such areas, it was under the rule of a mormaer in the Middle Ages. In the 12th century an earl (the Earl of Mar) took his place, but no definite succession of earls appears until the 13th century, nor has any genealogical connection been established between them and the mormaers.

In the eleventh century Malcolm III introduced the office of sheriff to Scotland. He and his successors Edgar, Alexander I and in particular David I established sheriffdoms throughout the country.{{Cite book|title=The Sheriffdom of Clackmannan. A sketch of its history with a list of its sheriffs and excerpts from the records of court compiled from public documents and other authorities with preparatory notes on the office of Sheriff in Scotland, his powers and duties |last=Wallace |first=James |year=1890 |publisher=James Thin |location=Edinburgh |pages=7–19 }} In the mid-19th century, local government reforms replaced the ancient provinces with new counties (shires), aligned to sheriffdom boundaries; hence, Marr became the southern portion of the shire of Aberdeen.{{Cite book|title=Aberdeenshire |last=Mackie |first=Alexander |series=Cambridge County Geographies |year=1911 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=London }}

{{Clear}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Scottish provinces|mainland|state=uncollapsed}}

{{Marr, Aberdeenshire places|state=uncollapsed}}

{{Aberdeenshire places|state=collapsed}}

{{Coord|57|13|35|N|2|46|38|W|display=title|region:GB_type:landmark_source:dewiki}}

Category:Committee areas of Aberdeenshire