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Ferrier History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Ferrier History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Scotland

The chronicles of Scottish history reveal that the first people to use the name Ferrier were the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a name for a person who equipped horses. The ferrier was involved in the equipping of horses, from harness to shoes. This occupation was similar to that of the English blacksmith, however, the ferrier also fashioned the leather pieces of the harness. This occupation was extremely important in the Middle Ages, as horses were the primary mode of transportation. Ferrier is therefore, an occupational surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Occupational surnames were derived from the primary activity of the bearer. In the Middle Ages, people did not generally live off of the fruits of their labor in a particular job. Rather, they performed a specialized task, as well as farming, for subsistence. Other occupational names were derived from an object associated with a particular activity.

Early Origins of the Ferrier family

The surname Ferrier was first found in Forfarshire part of the Tayside region of North Eastern Scotland, and present day Council Area of Angus, where they held a family seat from early times.

Early History of the Ferrier family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ferrier research. Another 151 words (11 lines of text) covering the year 1301 is included under the topic Early Ferrier History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ferrier Spelling Variations

Prior to the first dictionaries, scribes spelled words according to sound. This, and the fact that Scottish names were repeatedly translated from Gaelic to English and back, contributed to the enormous number of spelling variations in Scottish names. Ferrier has been spelled Ferrier, Ferriers, Ferrair, Ferryar, Feriar, Ferier and many more.

Early Notables of the Ferrier family

More information is included under the topic Early Ferrier Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ferrier Ranking

In the United States, the name Ferrier is the 14,340^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Ferrier is ranked the 851^st most popular surname with an estimated 6,006 people with that name. 2

Ferrier migration to the United States +

In such difficult times, the difficulties of raising the money to cross the Atlantic to North America did not seem so large compared to the problems of keeping a family together in Scotland. It was a journey well worth the cost, since it was rewarded with land and freedom the Scots could not find at home. The American War of Independence solidified that freedom, and many of those settlers went on to play important parts in the forging of a great nation. Among them:

Ferrier Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Samuel Ferrier, who arrived in America in 1620 3
Thomas Ferrier, who arrived in Maryland in 1665 3

Ferrier Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Roger Ferrier, who settled in Virginia in the year 1700
Pierre Ferrier, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 3
Charles Ferrier, who settled in Maryland in 1774
Charles Ferrier, aged 21, settled in Maryland in 1774
Lewis Ferrier, who settled in Philadelphia in 1799
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ferrier Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Ferrier, who settled in Philadelphia in 1803
James Ferrier, aged 24, settled in New Castle and later in Philadelphia in 1805
Jules Marins Ferrier, aged 18, settled in New Orleans in 1822
Juan Ferrier, aged 26, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1839 3
Andrew Ferrier, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1841 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ferrier migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ferrier Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

John Ferrier, aged 31, a labourer, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
Charlotte Ferrier, aged 36, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
Abraham Ferrier, aged 9, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
Janet Ferrier, aged 5, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
John Ferrier, aged 2, who arrived in Quebec aboard the ship "Atlas" in 1815
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ferrier migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ferrier Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

George Ferrier, aged 29, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "British Empire" 4
George Ferrier, aged 29, a labourer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1850 4
Charlotte Ferrier, aged 25, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1850 4
Fanny Ferrier, aged 8, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1850 4
Jane Ferrier, aged 6, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "British Empire" in 1850 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ferrier (post 1700) +

John Ferrier (1759-1836), British officer in the Royal Navy who served during the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
Orpha R. Ferrier, American politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1948
Milton Ferrier, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1916
James H. Ferrier, American politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 2nd District, 1915-16
J. A. Ferrier, American Republican politician, Chair of Osage County Republican Party, 1949
Dean Ferrier, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Democrats Abroad, 1988 (delegation chair), 1996
Susan Edmonstone Ferrier (1782-1854), Scottish novelist, born at Edinburgh 7 Sept. 1782, the youngest of ten children (six sons and four daughters) of James Ferrier, writer to the signet, by his wife, Helen (Coutts), daughter of a farmer in Kincardineshire 5
James Frederick Ferrier (1808-1864), Scottish metaphysical writer, born in Edinburgh 16 June 1808, the son of John Ferrier, writer to the signet 5
Sir David Ferrier (1843-1924), Scottish neurologist and psychologist, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society at the age of 33 in 1876, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1877
Ian Ferrier (1954-2023), Canadian poet, musician, and choreographer
... (Another 13 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Ferrier family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. David Ferrier, British Air Artificer 4th Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 6

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Alexander Hubert Buxton Ferrier, Irish 2nd Class passenger residing in Pendicton, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 7
Mrs. Beata Elizabeth Margaret Ferrier, English 2nd Class passenger residing in Pendicton, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 7
Miss Sheila Ferrier, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Pendleton, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 7

The Ferrier Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Diligentia ditat
Motto Translation: Industry renders rich.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRITISH EMPIRE 1850. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850BritishEmpire.htm
Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/