Show ContentsFergusons History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Fergusons Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Fergusons

What does the name Fergusons mean?

The Fergusons surname comes from the Irish Gaelic Ó Fearghuis or Ó Fearghasa, meaning "descendant of Fearghus," a Gaelic personal name composed of the elements "fear," meaning "man," and "gus," thought to mean "vigor," or "force." Fearghus was the name of an early Irish mythological King of Ulster, a valiant warrior said to have been shipwrecked off the coast of Northern Ireland c. AD 320, at the place known as Carrickfergus ("rock of Fergus"). 1

Early Origins of the Fergusons family

The surname Fergusons was first found in Connacht, especially in County Mayo, where they held the Parish of Burrishoole in 1303, and were hereditary physicians to the powerful O'Malleys.

"The Ferris variant is more numerous both in the old records and today than Fergus. It is well known in Keryy and in Ulster, where it has several synonyms in use including Fairy and O'Ferry, which however are properly anglicizations of Ó Fearadhaigh, a Cenél sept. There are 27 families of Ferris in the 1911 census of Co. Kerry and the name was there at least as early as 1586. " 2

Early History of the Fergusons family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fergusons research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1571, 1750, 1809 and 1828 are included under the topic Early Fergusons History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fergusons Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Fergus, O'Fergus, Fargus, O'Fargus, Ferris, Ferguson and many more.

Early Notables of the Fergusons family

Father Cormac O'Fergus, who went from Cork to Lisbon, Portugal in 1571. He was imprisoned while preaching at Clonmel. Richard Ferris (1750-1828), was an Irish ex-priest, spy, politician and businessman...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fergusons Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fergusons family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Owen Fergus, a Scotch-Irish pioneer, who arrived in Boston in 1739; David Ferguson of Armagh, sailed from Newry on May 1, 1804, aboard the "President".
  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Supplement to Irish Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Book Company, 1964. Print.
  2. MacLysaght, Edward, More Irish Families. Dublin: Irish Academic Press, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-0126-0)

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