Show ContentsMcFerron History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish surname McFerron is an Anglicization of a few different Gaelic names, such as "Ó Faracháin," "Ó Fearáin," and "Ó Forannáin."

Early Origins of the McFerron family

The surname McFerron was first found in County Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel.

Early History of the McFerron family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McFerron research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McFerron History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McFerron Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name McFerron revealed many variations, including Fearon, Feron, Feran, Farren and others.

Early Notables of the McFerron family

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


United States McFerron migration to the United States +

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the McFerron family relocated to North American shores quite early:

McFerron Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John McFerron, who landed in America in 1795 1
  • Joseph McFerron, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1795 1
  • David McFerron, who landed in America in 1795 1
McFerron Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William McFerron, aged 35, who landed in New York in 1812 1
  • James McFerron, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1867 1
McFerron Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Kate McFerron, aged 30, who immigrated to America from Dingle, in 1906
  • Francis McFerron, aged 2, who immigrated to the United States from Dingle, in 1906
  • John McFerron, aged 56, who landed in America from Paterson, N.Y., in 1920
  • Sara McFerron, aged 50, who immigrated to Paterson, N.Y., in 1920

Contemporary Notables of the name McFerron (post 1700) +

  • Mike McFerron, American composer, professor of music and composer-in-residence at Lewis University
  • Joseph McFerron, American politician, Delegate to Missouri State Constitutional Convention from Cape Girardeu County, 1820 2


  1. 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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 21) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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