The various families of the Clan Fergusson in Strathardle and Glenshee
had each their own patronymics to distinguish them. Thus the old Fergussons of
Balmacrochie were always known as MacAdi - Sons of Adam, of Wester and Easter
Cally; MacAonghais - M 'Angus, or M'Innes, of Glenbrierachan ; Mac- Fhionnlaidh
- M'Finlay, of Balnacult, in Straloch ; MacFheargkuis Dhuibh - Sons of Black
Fergus, of Downie ; MacRobi - M 'Roberts ; whilst the Glenshee Fergussons, who
were of the Downie family, were Clann Fheargkuis Dhunie - Clan Fergus of
Downie
[Sketches of the Early History, Legends, and Traditions of
Strathardle, by Charles Fergusson published in the Transactions of the
Gaelic Society of Inverness, Vol XXI, p. 100, 1899]
It has been suggested that the Aysons were a sept of Clan Fergusson
and descended from 'Fergusius filius Ade' who in the time of David Bruce was
sometimes in partnership with "Robert son of Duncan of Atholl", a farmer of
Crown thangaes. Fortingall was one of those thangaes, and in Fortingall to this
day there are traditions about "MacAoidh" who was a mighty man of valour who
among other deeds of daring caught a waterkelpie on Athbrannaidh.....In the
invasion of Angus in 1391 John Ayson, junior, was associated with Robert of
Atholl, the old partner of Fergus and with the sons of the Wolf of
Badenoch.
[Records of the Clan and Name of Fergusson, Ferguson and Fergus
- Supplement, by James Ferguson and Robert Menzies Fergusson, Edinburgh,
1899. pp.18-19]
Ayson. The Aysons were settled in Tullymet. It is probably the same name as Esson, but in either form, it is now quite extinct in Atholl.
| Surname | Top 5 Locales, Number of Households | |||||
| 1851 Scotland Head of House Place of Birth |
Ayson | Perth 3 | ||||
| Easson | Perth 33 | Forfar 22 | Fife 14 | Aberdeen 3 | England 2 | |
| Griffith's Valuation | Ayson | None | ||||
| Easson | None | |||||
This has been used in Connacht and adjacent areas for Fergus. It is
mainly found in Leitrim and Cavan. Fr. Livingstone informed that in Co. Donegal
Farris an anglicized form of Ó Fearaigh. See Fairy, Ferris and
Paris.
[MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland. ]
| Surname | Top 5 Locales, Number of Households | |||||
| 1851 Scotland Head of House Place of Birth |
Faris | Wigtown 1 | Ireland 1 | |||
| Farris | Stirling 1 | |||||
| Griffith's Valuation | Faris | Cavan 26 | Leitrim 9 | Antrim 4 | Armagh 4 | Down 3 |
| Farris | Carlow 7 | Derry 4 | Sligo 3 | Longford 1 | Donegal 1 | |
These names are associated with Clan Chattan and as such are not sept names of Clan Fergusson. They are mentioned here because Farquharson and Fergusson have a similar pronunciation that could have led to genesis of a present day Ferguson line as a result of a clerical error. It is not hard to imagine an immigrant to the new world when an official asked his name replied Farquharson but the official wrote Ferguson
FERCHARSON - Treated as synonymous with Ferguson in Barbados records of the Alleyne family. e.g. Betham (1803) writes FERGUSON but Brandow et al (1983) write FERCHARSON. There are a few instances of baptisms of the name in Inverness, Nairn and Angus.
FARQUHARSON - The son of Farquhar. Shaw Fercharson was chief of the MacPhersons in 1450. He was the great-grandson of Ferchar, from whom he derived his surname. [Patronymica Britannica]
FERCHARDSON - Donald Torlet Ferchardson, mentioned in 1461 inquest in Inverness-shire. OPR baptisms in Fordyce, Banff and Bendochy, Perth.
FERGIE. A reduction of FERGUSON, q.v. Patrick Fergie in c, 1671, and
four more in the same record (Lauder). In 1508 Fergy.
[George F Black.
The Surnames of Scotland. ]
| Surname | Top 5 Locales, Number of Households | |||||
| 1851 Scotland Head of House Place of Birth |
Fergie | Midlothian 2 | West Lothian 1 | Lanarkshire 1 | Ayr 1 | |
| Fergey | None | |||||
| Griffith's Valuation | Fergie | None | ||||
| Fergey | Down 3 | Antrim 1 | Belfast 1 | Tyrone 1 | ||
FERGUS G. Fearghus, MG. Feargus, Fergus, OIr. Fergus (grandfather of
St Columba). The names is cognate with Cymric Gwr-gwst, Old Bret. Uuorgost, and
Pictish Forcus. The Pictish form is also found on the inscribed monument found
at St Vigeans in Angus, and the writer of the unique Gaelic charter of 1408
writes it Fercos. In the list of Pictish kings (CPS., p.7,8) it is also written
Urguist, Wirguist, and Wrguist. It means "super choice," from *Ver-gustu-s, the
suffix being the same as in the personal name ANGUS, q.v. It is now rare as a
surname having been corrupted to Ferries, etc. James Fergus, burgess of
Culross, 1582 (Pitfirrane, 776). See MACFERRIES and MACKERRAS.
[George F
Black. The Surnames of Scotland.
FERGUS Ó Fearghuis (fear, man - gus,
vigour). The name of two Connacht septs: (a) a medical family with the
O'Malleys and (b) an ecclesiastical family in Leitrim. The name has become
Ferris in Kerry. See More Irish Families;
[MacLysaght, The
Surnames of Ireland. ]
Index of Names in Irish Annals: Fergus / Fearghus [Ogham: Vergosus]
| Surname | Top 5 Locales, Number of Households | |||||
| 1851 Scotland Head of House Place of Birth |
Fergus | Stirling 14 | Lanark 12 | Dumbarton 4 | Fife 4 | Orkney 3 |
| Griffith's Valuation | Fergus | Mayo 64 | Tyrone 8 | Wexford 3 | Antrim 2 | Down 2 |
Fergushill was the surname of an old family, now extinct, who possessed the lands of Fergushill in Ayrshire. [Records, p. 369]
In the 1851 census there is one household in Ayrshire and there are none in Griffith's Valuation
FERGUSON, Fergusson. An Anglicising of MACFERGUS, q.v. In the "Roill
of the clannis that he captanes, cheifffis and chiftanes quome on thay depend."
1587, the Fergussons are classed among the septs of Mar and Atholl (APS., III,
p.466). Auchingassyle was leased to Donald filius Fergucii, 1376 (RHM., I,
p.iv). Robert I granted certain lands in Ayrshire to Fergus, son of Fergus, and
in 1466 John Fergusson resigned a portion of his estate to Fergus Fergusson [of
Kilkerran], his son, and Janet Kennedy, his spouse. Alan Fergussii (the Latin
genitive form) was burgess of Glasgow, 1422 (LCD, p.242). Mychel Fargisone was
admitted burgess of Dunfermline, 1499 (DBR., 100). Alexander Feresoun
(=Ferguson) was one of the tenants of Estir Mecra (Easter Micras), 1539 (ER.,
XVII, p.659). James Fargusoun was put in ward for taking part in a medieval
play in Perth, 1581 (Mill, Plays, p.279). The name is widely scattered and
there is no evidence for an original connection of the Atholl, Aberdeenshire
and Ayrshire families. Robert Ferguson "the Plotter," Robert Fergusson, the
poet, and Adam Ferguson, the historian and philosopher, were amongst the most
eminent persons of the name. Farguesoun 1591, Fargusone 1501, Fergowsone 1597,
Forgusoun 1631.
[George F Black. The Surnames of Scotland.
| Surname | Top 5 Locales, Number of Households | |||||
| 1851 Scotland Head of House Place of Birth |
Ferguson | Perth 385 | Lanark 211 | Ayr 187 | Argyll 150 | Stirling 102 |
| Fergusson | Perth 101 | Ayr 64 | Dumfries 57 | Ireland 12 | Forfar 11 | |
| Griffith's Valuation | Ferguson | Down 201 | Tyrone 144 | Antrim 136 | Derry 95 | Belfast 66 |
| Fergusson | None | |||||
George F Black, The Surnames of Scotland, does not take on the
common Scottish name Ferry or Ferrie, which presumably often relates to places
where there were Ferry boats. But that the -s can be dropped in Ferres seems
obvious, given that it happened in Fergus-> Fergie.
[Andrew Lancaster, 2007
]
Ferry is numerous in Derry. Farry numerous in Sligo and Fermanagh is
cognate with Fairy & Ferry; Ó Fearadhaigh (Fearaigh): A sept of
Cineál Conaill in Donegal. Fearadhach was a common personal name in
early times.
[https://www.johngrenham.com/surnames/]
| Surname | Top 5 Locales, Number of Households | |||||
| 1851 Scotland Head of House Place of Birth |
Ferrie | Ireland 15 | Lanark 12 | Renfrew 6 | Midlothian 4 | Stirling 4 |
| Ferry | Ireland 8 | Ayr 1 | Renfrew 1 | |||
| Griffith's Valuation | Ferrie | Belfast 2 | Down 1 | |||
| Ferry | Donegal 183 | Tyrone 8 | Derry 3 | Waterford 2 | Fermanagh 2 | |
FERRES, FERRIES, FERRIS. From (MAC)-FERRIES, q.v., or simply a
corruption of FERGUS, q.v. Old (17th century) spellings are Feres, Ferres,
Phires, Pheres, and Ferries. By local usage in Aberdeenshire Ferris a
contraction of Ferguson (Rev. A.B. Grosart). Ferries also occurs as a
diminutive of FARQUHARSON.
[George F Black. The Surnames of
Scotland. ]
Ferris - In Kerry a variant of O'Fergus. It is also traditionally a
cognomen of a branch of the Moriartys. In Ulster it is the name of a branch of
the Scottish clan Ferguson formerly MacFergus.
[MacLysaght, The Surnames
of Ireland ]
| Surname | Top 5 Locales, Number of Households | |||||
| 1851 Scotland Head of House Place of Birth |
Ferris | Ireland 7 | Fife 4 | Aberdeen 2 | Caithness 1 | Lanark 1 |
| Ferries | Aberdeen 14 | Wigtown 3 | Ireland 2 | Banff 1 | Elgin 1 | |
| Griffith's Valuation | Ferris | Down 56 | Kerry 47 | Antrim 41 | Derry 28 | Belfast 24 |
| Ferries | None | |||||
Analysis of the 1851 census of Scotland reveals the name is cleary associated with Fifeshire. The birth places of heads of household are distributed as Fife 32, Lanark 1, Midlothian 1
FORGIE. (1) may be from Forgie near Montrose. (2) a corruption of
Fergie (FERGUS), as Forgieson for FERGUSON, Alexander Forgie in Newton Stewart,
1763 (Wigtown).
[George F Black. The Surnames of Scotland. ]
| Surname | Top 5 Locales, Number of Households | |||||
| 1851 Scotland Head of House Place of Birth |
Forgie | Stirling 19 | Lanark 7 | West Lothian 7 | Ayr 6 | Aberdeen 3 |
| Forgy | Stirling 1 | |||||
| Griffith's Valuation | Forgie | None | ||||
| Forgy | Derry 2 | Down 1 | ||||
FURGESON. A surname in Dornoch. A corrupt form of FERGUSON, q.v
[George F Black. The Surnames of Scotland.].
There are no instances of this spelling in the 1851 census of Scotland or in Griffith's Valuation.
FURRY. Thomas Furry, a tenant of Cowbyre, 1463, was tenant in Grange
of Balbrogy in Angus, 1468, and James Furry was tenant in Balgreschach, 1473
(Cupar-Angus, I, p. 139, 143, 176).
FURUY. John de Furuy, chaplain of the
cathedral church of Aberdeen, 1366 (REA., II, p.176).
[George F Black.
The Surnames of Scotland. ]
There are only three heads of house named Furry in the 1851 census of Scotland, two are born in Ireland one in Renfrewshire. There are no Furry in Griffith's valuation.
These names are all associated with Clan Chattan as is Farquharson. The name Ferries occurs as a diminutive of both Farquharson and Fergusson and, apart from a similar pronunciation, this is as close as one can come to connecting the Farquharson and Fergusson. It appears that the names in question have been attached to Clan Fergusson as a result of confusing Farquharson and Fergusson.
Keddie is a Scottish name, and is a patronymic form of the Gaelic name "MacAddie", which itself comes from the Hebrew personal name "Adam", borne, according to Genesis, by the first man. The surname is found in the modern idiom as Kedie, Keddy, Kiddie and Kiddy. [ The Internet Surname Database ]
As a Fergus(s)on sept name, these names trace back to the MacAddie in Atholl.
| Surname | Top 5 Locales, Number of Households | |||||
| 1851 Scotland Head of House Place of Birth |
Keddie | Fife 75 | Peebles 10 | Midlothian 7 | Rosburgh 7 | Edinr 2 |
| Griffith's Valuation | Keddie | None | ||||
No documentation as to why Kidd or Kydd is a Fergus(s)on sept name has been found. Probably has been confused with or is a form of Keddie as above.
An alias used by the Fergusson of Balmacruchie in Strathardle
An alias used by the Fergusson of Wester and Easter Cally in Strathardle
"It has been supposed that a Baron Fergusson was executed for taking
part in the Gowrie conspiracy of 1600. But this appears to be a mistake, and
the true sufferer was McDuff, the Baron of Fandowie. This gentleman's aliases
have caused a good deal of confusion, which fortunately his successor, while
participating in it, has done his best to clear up. In 1602 'John Fergussone
callit Barroun Fargussone, John Fargusone in Cluny, and David, Baroun in
Fandowie,' sat together on an assize. The last, when chosen Chancellor, was
described as 'David Ferguison, Barone of Fandowie,' but when he came to
subscribe the verdict he signed in his own proper name as 'David McDuf of
Fandowy'."
[Records of the Clan and Name of Fergusson, Ferguson and
Fergus, by James Ferguson and Robert Menzies Fergusson, Edinburgh, 1895,
p.39 ]
MACFERGUS, "son of Fergus," q.v., from the unaspirated form of the
name. Johannes filius Fergusii witnessed a royal charter of the lands of
Dalmakeran c. 1316-18 (Annandale, I. p.132). A charter granted in 1485 to the
abbot of Iona by consent of the Lord of the Isles and his council is witnessed
by ... Colinus Fergusii [i.e. Cailean Mac Fhearghuis], p.300). Morice
Macgillafuirgy, 1455, = Moricius Fergussi (HP., IV, p. 181, 184). M'Fargus
1575.
[George F Black. The Surnames of Scotland. ]
. G. MacFhearghuis (Fear'uis), "son of FERGUS," q.v. Andreas McFeris,
one of the king's tenants in Crethnard, Strathdee, 1527-39 (Grant, III, p.68;
ER., XVII, p. 658). Patrick McFers, tenant in Easter Micras (Estir Mecra), 1539
(ER., XVII, p. 659). Katherine M'Ferries, who was accused of witchcraft in
Aberdeen, 1597, also appears in record without "Mac" (SCM., I. p.182, 184).
Thomas McPhereis in Crathinhard is mentioned in 1603, and John Bane McPhires in
the same place, 1643 (RSCA., II, p.31; III, p. 14). The name also occurs in
seventeenth-century records as M'Pheires, Feres, Phires, Pheres, and Ferries.
[George F Black. The Surnames of Scotland. ]
An alias used by the Fergusson of Wester and Easter Cally in Strathardle
In 1620 charters are granted to Angus Fergusson, alias M'Innes, in
Easter Cally, of Easter Butteris-Cally, and to Robert Fergusson, alias M'Innes,
in Wester Dalnabreck of Wester Butteris-Callie.
[Records of the Clan and
Name of Fergusson, Ferguson and Fergus, by James Ferguson and Robert
Menzies Fergusson, Edinburgh, 1895, p.51 ]
Another tradition records that a family of the name of MacKerras were originally Fergusons, and owed their origin to a Ferguson who was prescribed for participation in ' the Forty-Five.' These Mackerrases simply adopted an Anglicised form of the Gaehc Mac Fhearghuis, and one of them is understood to have become a Professor in Canada. [Records, p 488]
The are only a few heads of house by this name in the 1851 census of Scotland. Their places of births are: Moray 2, Midlothian 1, Inverness 1
In the OPR marriages there are 7 different male MCKERSEY spanning 1785 to 1855 distributed as: 4 - Lanark, 2 - Ayr, 1- Renfrew. There are 2 male MACKERSEY one each in Lanark and Renfrew.
There are only 3 instances of heads of house by the name MACKERSEY in the UK census records on Ancestry.com, they all reside in England none are born in Scotland. When MCKERSEY is searched there are 4 instances and they are all Scottish. In the 1861 census of Scotland the two heads of households were born in Strathaven, Lanarkshire and in Dundee, Forfarshire.
Neither name is in the 1901 census of Ireland
Nobody by either name comes up in the OPR marriage records, the UK census data on Ancestry.com or the 1901 census of Ireland . Probably a version of MacAngus, an alias used by the Fergusson of Wester and Easter Cally in Strathardle.
Nobody by either name comes up in the OPR marriage records, the UK census data on Ancestry.com or the 1901 census of Ireland
The O'Clery Book of Genealogies states that O'Fergus of Rossinver and O'Farrelly of Drumlane are said to be descended from Ailill son of Eoghan.
An English name sometimes incorrectly recorded as FERGUSON
One tool for searching databases with spelling variations real or due to transcription error is NameX. For the name FERGUSON here are the resultant "close" and "all" list returned by NameX. Also included are wildcard spellings that will capture all the names below.
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