McPherson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Scotland 


An ancient Scottish people known as the Picts were the forefathers of the McPherson family. McPherson is a name for a parson. The Gaelic forms of the names are Mac a' Phearsain and Mac a Phearsoin, which mean son of the parson. This was the surname of various ecclesiastical families in Scotland and is descended from a Chief of the great Clan Chattan ('tribe of the cats'), called Gille Chattan. This Chief can, in turn, be traced back to Feachar the Long, King of Lorn who died in 697 AD. The Clan's original territories were in Stratthnairn, Strathdearn and Badenoch from whence they long contested the leadership of the Clan Chattan with the MacKintoshes, who also claimed descent from the Gille Chattan through a female heiress.

Early Origins of the McPherson family

The surname McPherson was first found in Inverness, where they were hereditary keepers of the sacred stone of St. Catan, and early Chief of the Clan Chattan. The MacPhersons are sometimes called the Clan Mhuirich, 'the children of Muredach,' from an early Chief of the Clan, Duncan (the Parson) who was imprisoned with the Lord of the Isles after the Battle of Harlaw (1411).

Early History of the McPherson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McPherson research. Another 524 words (37 lines of text) covering the years 1490, 1528, 1600, 1645, 1672, 1675, 1688, 1689, 1700, 1715, 1745, 1776, 1783, 1784 and 1932 are included under the topic Early McPherson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McPherson Spelling Variations

During the Middle Ages, there was no basic set of rules and scribes wrote according to sound. The correct spelling of Scottish names were further compromised after many haphazard translations from Gaelic to English and back. Spelling variations of the name McPherson include MacPherson, McPherson, MacPhersone, Mac a' Phearsoin (Gaelic) and many more.

Early Notables of the McPherson family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was James MacPherson (1675-1700), the Scottish outlaw, famed for his Lament or Rant supposedly written on the eve of his execution, a version of which was rewritten by Robert Burns; and Colonel Duncan MacPherson, the Clan Chief, who commanded...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McPherson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McPherson World Ranking

In the United States, the name McPherson is the 895th most popular surname with an estimated 32,331 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name McPherson is ranked the 774th most popular surname with an estimated 6,944 people with that name. 2 And in Australia, the name McPherson is the 314th popular surname with an estimated 11,277 people with that name. 3 New Zealand ranks McPherson as 419th with 1,579 people. 4


McPherson migration to the United States +

Scots left their country by the thousands to travel to Australia and North America. Desperate for freedom and an opportunity to fend for themselves, many paid huge fees and suffered under terrible conditions on long voyages. Still, for those who made the trip, freedom and opportunity awaited. In North America, many fought their old English oppressors in the American War of Independence. In recent years, Scottish heritage has been an increasingly important topic, as Clan societies and other organizations have renewed people's interest in their history. An examination of passenger and immigration lists shows many early settlers bearing the name of McPherson:

McPherson Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
McPherson Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

McPherson migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McPherson Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
McPherson Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

McPherson migration to Australia +

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

McPherson Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

McPherson migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

McPherson Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name McPherson (post 1700) +


The McPherson 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: Touch not the cat bot a glove
Motto Translation: Touch not the cat without a glove
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