UK surname
A surname of Scottish origin meaning "son of the arable farmer".
In the 1881 census there were 30 people recorded with the Fergeson surname, ranking it #29,363 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3, ranked #38,594, down from #29,363 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Leonard Shoreditch, Rushall and Corbridge. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fergeson is 109 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 90.0%.
1881 census count
30
Ranked #29,363
Modern count
3
2016, ranked #38,594
Peak year
1851
109 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Fergeson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Fergeson surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 109 | #16,212 |
| 1861 | historical | 91 | #22,206 |
| 1881 | historical | 30 | #29,363 |
| 1891 | historical | 27 | #32,115 |
| 1901 | historical | 19 | #31,911 |
| 1911 | historical | 6 | #33,255 |
| 1997 | modern | 2 | #38,557 |
| 1999 | modern | 1 | #38,820 |
| 2000 | modern | 4 | #38,004 |
| 2001 | modern | 3 | #38,091 |
| 2002 | modern | 2 | #38,400 |
| 2003 | modern | 2 | #38,424 |
| 2004 | modern | 2 | #38,464 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 2 | #38,590 |
| 2007 | modern | 5 | #38,004 |
| 2008 | modern | 5 | #38,027 |
| 2009 | modern | 3 | #38,494 |
| 2010 | modern | 4 | #38,371 |
| 2011 | modern | 3 | #38,546 |
| 2012 | modern | 4 | #38,335 |
| 2013 | modern | 4 | #38,359 |
| 2014 | modern | 4 | #38,376 |
| 2015 | modern | 4 | #38,392 |
| 2016 | modern | 3 | #38,594 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Leonard Shoreditch, Rushall, Corbridge, Toxteth Park and Cannock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Leonard Shoreditch | London (East Districts) |
| 2 | Rushall | Staffordshire |
| 3 | Corbridge | Northumberland |
| 4 | Toxteth Park | Lancashire |
| 5 | Cannock | Staffordshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Fergeson surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Fergeson, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Fergeson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Fergeson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Fergeson is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Fergeson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Fergeson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Fergeson originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is a derivative of the name Ferguson, which comes from the Scottish Gaelic words "fear" meaning "man" and "guth" meaning "stranger." The name Ferguson was likely given to someone who came from outside the local area or was a foreigner to a particular region.
Fergeson is an anglicized spelling variation of Ferguson that emerged in the 16th or 17th century as the name spread to other parts of the British Isles and North America. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the Fergeson spelling can be found in parish records and census rolls from the 1600s in areas like Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire in Scotland.
One of the earliest known references to the name Fergeson appears in the 1691 Scottish Poll Tax Rolls, which lists a John Fergeson from the parish of Kilwinning in Ayrshire. The Fergeson name is also documented in the 1696 Book of Records for the Burgh of Canongate, near Edinburgh, which mentions a James Fergeson.
Notable individuals with the surname Fergeson include:
William Fergeson (1675-1744), a Scottish merchant and shipowner who established trade routes between Scotland and the American colonies.
Robert Fergeson (1707-1788), a Scottish-born American surveyor and cartographer who created some of the earliest maps of the Carolinas and Georgia.
Sarah Fergeson (1792-1868), an Irish-born American educator who founded one of the first schools for girls in Philadelphia.
James Fergeson (1808-1886), a Scottish-born Australian explorer and surveyor who helped map parts of Western Australia and South Australia.
Mary Ann Fergeson (1824-1905), an English author and poet who wrote under the pen name "Violet Fane."
Throughout its history, the Fergeson surname has also been associated with various place names and locations, such as the town of Fergushill in Ayrshire, Scotland, and the village of Fergusons Crossing in Ontario, Canada.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fergeson surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Devon leads with 6 Fergesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.86x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Devon | 6 | 9.86x |
| Lancashire | 5 | 1.44x |
| Middlesex | 5 | 1.71x |
| Roxburghshire | 4 | 75.47x |
| Lanarkshire | 3 | 3.17x |
| Yorkshire | 2 | 0.69x |
| Cheshire | 1 | 1.55x |
| Dunbartonshire | 1 | 12.72x |
| Shetland | 1 | 33.44x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 1.01x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.70x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Stoke Damerel in Devon leads with 6 Fergesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 140.85x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Stoke Damerel | 6 | 140.85x |
| Hawick | 4 | 336.13x |
| Kensington London | 4 | 24.60x |
| Old Monkland | 3 | 80.00x |
| Toxteth Park | 3 | 25.53x |
| Blackburn | 1 | 10.83x |
| Chorlton On Medlock | 1 | 18.15x |
| Cobham | 1 | 434.78x |
| Holy Trinity | 1 | 14.35x |
| Mile End Old Town London | 1 | 16.08x |
| Row | 1 | 98.04x |
| Tranmere | 1 | 42.19x |
| Walls | 1 | 714.29x |
| Walsall Borough | 1 | 129.87x |
| York Holy Trinity | 1 | 400.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fergeson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Fergeson surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Fergeson households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 5 |
| Fitter Engine | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Housepainter | 1 |
| Housepainter Wife | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Nurse Dom | 1 |
| Seaman Steam Reserve Navy (K) | 1 |
| Tailor | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 30 people were recorded with the Fergeson surname. That placed it at #29,363 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 3 in 2016. That gives Fergeson a modern rank of #38,594.
A surname of Scottish origin meaning "son of the arable farmer".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fergeson bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.