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Fergus(s)on DNA ProjectSept Names and Aliases |
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Can anybody say how it is that sept names for Fergusson include Grevsack, Hardie, Hardy, Keddle, Keddie, Ketchen, Kidd, Kiddie, Kydd, MacMangus or MacTavert?
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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 thanages, 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.]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.
This has been used in Connacht and adjacent areas for Fergus. It is mainly found in Leitrim and Cavan. Fr. Livingstone inofrmed that in Co. Donegal Farris is an anglicized form of Ó Fearaigh. See Fairy, Ferris and Paris.
[MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland.]
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.]
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.]
FERGUSOS Ó Fearghuis (fear, man - gus, vigour). The name of two Connacht septs: (a) a medical family with the O'Malleys and (b) an ecclestical family in Leitrim. The name has become Ferris in Kerry. See More Irish Families; Map Mayo.
[MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland.]
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 genetive 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.]
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]
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 is 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]
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.]
FURGESON. A surname in Dornoch. A corrupt form of FERGUSON, q.v
[George F Black. The Surnames of Scotland.].
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.]
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 similiar 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.
My father always told me our Kidds originated from Scotland - the earliest I have is James Kidd (source of Berkshire Kidds) who was married to Margarett (their son, John, was born 'out-of-county' according to the 1841 census); and the only marriage of a James Kidd to a Margarett I have found, is Margarett Hutton (1772,South Leith,Lothian,Scotland). I have recently participated in Y-DNA studies through FamilyTreeDNA.com and tentative genetic matches have been with families in the Borders area (Beatties, Burns, Dixons) and Ireland - Border Reivers families were relocated (to take over Catholic lands) by protestant Kings in the 17th Century, partly because those families were rebellious and difficult to govern by either English or Scottish rule. Celtic-Briton Y-DNA is widespread and earlier (5th Century) migrations had been from Ireland to Scotland (Dalriada).
The 1881 Kidd surname distribution map is bimodal (mainly Angus/Aberdeenshire and Yorkshire) showing the Borders area to have been depopulated of Kidds (IGI shows many Kide/Keid/Kede/Keed(e)/Kead(e)/Ked(d) variants since 1530 in the Roxburgh-Berwick Borders area; note the Scottish dialect coming through in these variants). The second source of Kidds is from East Anglia/Cambridgeshire, from where Thomas Kidd (generally thought pedigree of all early American Kidds) originated. Later American/Canadian Kidds may have their provenance in Ireland following later immigration. The Norfolk source relates to Anglo-Saxon settlement of England viz. Kedington translates to tun='farmstead' of ingas='the people of' 'Cedd, Cedda, Cidd, Cidda, Cyda, Cydda, Cyddi'. Anglo-Saxons used to apply alliteration to name children of the same family - Kedington is only 20 miles from Soham, Cambridgeshire. It seems they lacked a 'K' in their alphabet, and therefore who knows how their 'C' was pronounced - the 'Cu' in Cuthbert is a hard 'K' sound today. There's another Keddington in Lincolnshire, a Kidstones in Yorkshire (50 miles from Lastingham), a Kidston north of Pebbles and a Kidlaw in East Lothian. Another titbit is that in Geordieland the word Kidda is used as a term of endearment.
My theory is that the soft 'C' was replaced by hard 'K' of the Celtic-Briton language (even present-day pronunciation of soft 'C' in Celtic was itself originally pronounced with a hard 'K' sound).
My conclusion has been that the surname Kid/Kidd/Kyd/Kydd is of Hiberno-Saxon origin.
The first Roman Christian missionary to England was Bishop Augustine (Kent,597); the second wave included Bishop Cedd (c.620-664)and his younger brother, Bishop Chad (both from Northumbria and trained at Lindisfarne under St Aidan from 634, of Celtic Christian origin). Bishop Cedd died of plague in 664, the same year as the Synod of Whitby whereupon English Christianity realigned with its Roman version under Bishop Cuthbert (born Melrose). Note that the ministry of Cedd and Cuthbert would have included the Melrose-Kelso-Lindisfarne area (and Cuthbert, Aidan and Colman are all Scottish surnames). Bishop Cedd founded(654)the church of St Mary's, Lastingham, Yorkshire, and that same year was invited by King Sigeberht II (The Good) of Wessex as missionary to Essex to reconvert Saxons (possibly with the Celtic version). My opinion is that 'Cyddington' became Kydington/Kedington at this time (the gene pool may have originally been predominantly Celtic-Briton with Angle overlords) and people then from Kedington were called Kyd/Kid/Kydd/Kidd. Likewise, a Celtic-Briton family/community in the Borders area was converted to Celtic Christianity by Cedd and they underwent 'family-baptism', developing the surname Cedd (cf Cuthbert, Aidan). Subsequent migration of Kid/Kyd/Kidd/Kydd families enabled them to spread to Yorkshire/Lancashire/Staffordshire (Cedd and Chad were also missionaries throughout this area) and Lothian/Angus/Aberdeenshire (where they became affiliated to the Fergusons). NB Fergus mac Erc (c500) of Dalriada prepared the platform for the arrival of Columba at Iona, and Aidan (who taught Cedd) was his disciple - a tantalising link of Ferguson with Kidd.
The predominant genetic characteristics would be those of Celtic-Britons (R1b haplotype) but there is also the possibility of Germanic Frankish roots (I haplotype) from the Angle overlords of eastern England. Also surname variants (eg Keed/Kede) are likely to have been highly influenced by local dialect. It has been suggested in literature that the variant 'Kit' was also in usage and may derive as the petname of Christopher, with further Christian connotations (St Christopher c250AD)
The above discussion was written by Derek Ham whose DNA and Kidd connection may be found on Ysearch with the ID EPQQ4. He cites the following references:
- http://www.lastinghamgrange.com/StMarysChurch.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Saxon_monarchs#Wessex_kings
- http://www.gaminggeeks.org/Resources/KateMonk/England-Saxon/History.htm
- "The Surnames of Scotland" by George F. Black
"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.]
The Mackerras/McKerras Family
MACKERRAS. From G. M'Fhear'us for fuller MacFhearghuis, "son of FERGUS," q.v. Duncan M'Karas or M'Keras, tenant of Kernach or Nerynach, Strogartnay, in 1483, appears again in 1499 as McKervis (ER., IX, p.594, 621; XI, p.416). John McKerris of Kentyr is mentioned in 1519 (Cawdor, p. 130). Willelmus McRobert McKerwyss and Finlaius McRobert McKerwyss were parishioners of Duthil, 1537 (Grant, III, p.269). In 1547 the lands of Stronechreiffiche in the bailliary of Cowell were granted to Makane V'Kerris and Gillebarchane his son, and four years later Gillebarchane was seised in the same lands (OPS., II, p.p78). Johne M'Kearrois appears in Inverness, 1575 (Mill, Plays, p.257), and Finlay McDonchy McKerris apparent of Glenselche, a charter witness in 1582 (Poltalloch Writs, p.135). John Roy Mcfergus appears in Balloch, 1585 (FB., p. 357, 365). Alexander M'Kerras in Bollimenoch was denounced rebel in 1675 (HP., I, p.297), Callum McKerreis held a kerrowrane in Islay, 1686 (Bk. Islay, p.492), and John McKerrois and Donald McKerrois were tenants in Carabollis in the same year (ibid. p.517). Donald Mackeroes of Glenselloch was one of those charged with part in massacre of Lamonts at Dunoon, 1646 (Lamont, 786). Duncan M'Kerres in Damadie, a Glenurquhay vassal, 1638 (BBT., p.403), John Bain Mc erras and Patrick Mc erras, rebels in parish of Strachur, 1685 (Commons, p.11). Catherine M'Karras appears in Edinburgh, 1688 (Edinb. Marr.), and Donald M'Kerash was tenant in Corspollan, 1730 (Isles). Sir Walter Scott, referring to his friend Captain (afterwards Sir) Adam Ferguson, described him as a Highlander whose forbears were known as "M'Erries." The Mackerras's or Fergussons Glensellich and adjacent parts about Strachur were an old race, and are numerous in that parish to this day (HP., IV, p26-27). Daniel Fergusson the last of the family who held the lands died in 1805. MÇarish 1671, M'Herreis 1677, MacHerries 1661, McHerres 1608, McKaras and McKearass 1692, Mc Keraish 1662. herefore I have restricted myself to forms ending with -y or -ie: with g on the one hand and without on the other.
[George F Black. The Surnames of Scotland.]
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