UK surname
A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning 'Son of Ferguson'.
In the 1881 census there were 71 people recorded with the Fergueson surname, ranking it #23,517 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2, ranked #38,825, down from #23,517 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Old Cumnock, New Monkland and New Deer. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Fergueson is 103 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 97.2%.
1881 census count
71
Ranked #23,517
Modern count
2
2016, ranked #38,825
Peak year
1861
103 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Fergueson surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Fergueson surname density by area, 1861 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 | 95 | #17,707 |
| 1861 | historical | 103 | #20,650 |
| 1881 | historical | 71 | #23,517 |
| 1891 | historical | 98 | #24,313 |
| 1901 | historical | 98 | #23,119 |
| 1911 | historical | 11 | #32,463 |
| 1997 | modern | 1 | #38,839 |
| 1998 | modern | 2 | #38,550 |
| 1999 | modern | 2 | #38,551 |
| 2000 | modern | 3 | #38,248 |
| 2001 | modern | 3 | #38,091 |
| 2002 | modern | 3 | #38,152 |
| 2003 | modern | 5 | #37,750 |
| 2004 | modern | 3 | #38,241 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2009 | modern | 1 | #38,998 |
| 2012 | modern | 1 | #38,986 |
| 2014 | modern | 2 | #38,791 |
| 2015 | modern | 2 | #38,793 |
| 2016 | modern | 2 | #38,825 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Old Cumnock, New Monkland, New Deer, Blantyre and Govan Combination. 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 | Old Cumnock | Ayr |
| 2 | New Monkland | Lanark |
| 3 | New Deer | Aberdeen |
| 4 | Blantyre | Lanark |
| 5 | Govan Combination | Lanark |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Fergueson 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 Fergueson, 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 Fergueson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Fergueson 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, Fergueson 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 Fergueson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Fergueson, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Fergueson has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the medieval period around the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Fergus," which means "manly" or "vigorous." This name was particularly popular among clans in the Scottish Highlands, where it was often combined with the prefix "mac" (meaning son) to form the patronymic surname MacFergus or MacFergueson.
The earliest recorded instances of the Fergueson surname can be found in various Scottish historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of documents recording the submission of Scottish nobles to Edward I of England. Notable early bearers of the name include Fergus, son of Fergusius, who was granted lands in Ayrshire by King Robert the Bruce in the early 14th century.
As the surname spread throughout Scotland, it adopted various spellings, such as Ferguson, Fergussone, and Fergusson, reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions. These variations were often influenced by the local dialects and place names where different branches of the Fergueson family settled.
One prominent historical figure with the Fergueson surname was Sir Samuel Fergueson (1590-1652), a Scottish military commander who fought in the Thirty Years' War and later served as a general in the Scottish Covenanter army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Another notable bearer of the name was James Fergusson (1808-1886), a Scottish architectural historian and writer who authored several influential works on ancient and medieval architecture.
Other significant individuals with the Fergueson surname include Adam Ferguson (1723-1816), a Scottish philosopher and historian who was a key figure in the Scottish Enlightenment, and Sir William Fergusson (1808-1877), a Scottish surgeon and pioneer in the field of modern surgery.
Throughout its history, the Fergueson surname has been closely associated with Scotland and its rich cultural heritage, reflecting the enduring legacy of the ancient Gaelic name Fergus and its many descendants who have contributed to various fields across the centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Fergueson 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. Lanarkshire leads with 15 Ferguesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.99x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lanarkshire | 15 | 6.99x |
| Wigtownshire | 13 | 147.56x |
| Ayrshire | 9 | 18.13x |
| Cumberland | 8 | 14.01x |
| Kirkcudbrightshire | 7 | 72.92x |
| Ross-shire | 5 | 27.46x |
| Angus | 2 | 3.26x |
| Durham | 2 | 1.01x |
| Northumberland | 2 | 2.03x |
| Derbyshire | 1 | 0.96x |
| Inverness-shire | 1 | 5.05x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.13x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 0.15x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.15x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 12 Ferguesons recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.62x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Govan | 12 | 22.62x |
| Old Cumnock | 9 | 810.81x |
| Rerrick | 7 | 1707.32x |
| Stranraer | 7 | 864.20x |
| Hethersgill | 5 | 3846.15x |
| Uig | 5 | 602.41x |
| Kirkcolm | 4 | 952.38x |
| Crosscanonby | 3 | 158.73x |
| Glasgow | 3 | 7.88x |
| Forfar | 2 | 60.06x |
| Kirkcowan | 2 | 666.67x |
| Doveridge | 1 | 625.00x |
| Everton | 1 | 3.99x |
| Headingley Cum Burley | 1 | 23.64x |
| Heworth | 1 | 25.71x |
| Inverness | 1 | 20.08x |
| Newcastle On Tyne St | 1 | 19.57x |
| Paddington London | 1 | 4.10x |
| Westgate | 1 | 16.37x |
| Whickham | 1 | 54.95x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Fergueson 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 Fergueson 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 Fergueson households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 4 |
| Bricklayer | 1 |
| Carter | 1 |
| Cook Domestic (Inn Serv) | 1 |
| Farm Labourer | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| House Carpenter | 1 |
| Housekeeper | 1 |
| Retired Waterman | 1 |
| Scullerymaid | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 71 people were recorded with the Fergueson surname. That placed it at #23,517 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 2 in 2016. That gives Fergueson a modern rank of #38,825.
A Scottish surname derived from a place name meaning 'Son of Ferguson'.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Fergueson 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.