Ayrshire is a historic county in south-west Scotland, with Ayr, Kilmarnock, and Irvine as the main towns within the county. In 2017, the region had a population of around 366,800, most of whom lived in Ayr. Many families from the region, including the Hamiltons, Burns, Morrows, Stewarts, and Kennedys moved to Northern Ireland during the Plantation of Ulster during the 17th century.