Fernie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The tale of the name Fernie begins with a family who lived in the lands of Fernie in Fife where the name can be found since very early times.

Early Origins of the Fernie family

The surname Fernie was first found in Fife, where Fernie Castle, the family's ancestral home is an enlarged sixteenth-century tower house just east of the village of Letham.

Early History of the Fernie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fernie research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1390, 1475 and 1516 are included under the topic Early Fernie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fernie Spelling Variations

Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Fernie has been spelled Fernie, Ferny, Fearny, Fearney, Ferney, Firnie, Firney and many more.

Early Notables of the Fernie family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

Fernie of Fifeshire

Fernie migration to the United States +

In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Fernie:

Fernie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Fernie, who made his home in Virginia in 1623
William Fernie, who landed in New England in 1654

Fernie migration to Australia +

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

Fernie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Eliza Fernie, aged 32, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Nashwauk" 1

Fernie 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:

Fernie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Betsie Fernie, aged 28, a housekeeper, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
Cuthbert W. Fernie, aged under 1, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
Francis G. Fernie, aged 33, a painter, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875
Alexander Fernie, aged 26, a cabinet maker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Fernie (post 1700) +

Eric Campbell Fernie CBE FRSE FBA FSA Scot (b. 1939), Scottish art historian
William "Willie" Fernie (1857-1924), Scottish golfer and course designer who designed The Dumfries and County Golf Club in 1912
William "Willie" Fernie (1928-2011), Scottish footballer who played from 1948 to 1965, member of the Scottish League XI National Team 1953 to 1958 and member of the Scotland National Team from 1954 to 1958
Mr. Philip Fernie R.V.M., British Deputy Head Stalker for Balmoral Estate, was appointed the Royal Victorian Medal Silver on 8th June 2018 2
Lynne Fernie (b. 1946), Canadian filmmaker, best known as the co-director of the award-winning 1992 documentary film Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives
William Fernie, Scottish prospector to early Canada, namesake of Fernie, British Columbia
Maxwell Fernie OBE (1910-1999), New Zealand organist, teacher and conductor

Citations +

South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Nashwauk 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists