UK surname

Mcferran

Scottish surname derived from a Gaelic personal name meaning "son of Fearghas", composed of elements meaning "man" and "choice."

In the 1881 census there were 33 people recorded with the Mcferran surname, ranking it #28,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 236, ranked #17,470, up from #28,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newark and Sherwood, Southwark and Wiltshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcferran is 240 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 615.2%.

1881 census count

Ranked #28,965

Modern count

236

2016, ranked #17,470

Peak year

2011

240 bearers

Map years

1998 to 2016

Key insights

• Mcferran had 33 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #28,965 surname in that year.
• The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016, ranked #17,470.
• Within the historical census years, the highest count was 58 in 1891.
• The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Map

Mcferran surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mcferran surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mcferran surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Year

Loading map

Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Mcferran over time

The 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	3	#32,890
1861	historical	22	#31,140
1881	historical	33	#28,965
1891	historical	58	#29,439
1901	historical	48	#28,808
1911	historical	42	#28,691
1997	modern	196	#17,859
1998	modern	214	#17,366
1999	modern	226	#16,884
2000	modern	236	#16,380
2001	modern	225	#16,664
2002	modern	230	#16,730
2003	modern	221	#16,987
2004	modern	217	#17,276
2005	modern	212	#17,473
2006	modern	208	#17,835
2007	modern	218	#17,477
2008	modern	217	#17,693
2009	modern	208	#18,551
2010	modern	233	#17,606
2011	modern	240	#17,093
2012	modern	224	#17,786
2013	modern	223	#18,135
2014	modern	229	#17,925
2015	modern	234	#17,577
2016	modern	236	#17,470

Geography

Where Mcferrans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newark and Sherwood, Southwark, Wiltshire, Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness and Harlow. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank	Parish	Area
1	No data	No data

Top modern areas

Rank	Area	District
1	Newark and Sherwood 001	Newark and Sherwood
2	Southwark 029	Southwark
3	Wiltshire 043	Wiltshire
4	Stromness, Sandwick and Stenness	Orkney Islands
5	Harlow 008	Harlow

Forenames

First names often paired with Mcferran

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mcferran surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Recent female names

Mary Elizabeth Sarah Claire Margaret Patricia Susan Helen Kathleen Christine

Recent male names

John James David William Stephen Paul Robert Neil Richard Peter

Modern profile

Neighbourhood profile for Mcferran

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcferran, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mcferran surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mcferran household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcferran is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcferran is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcferran falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcferran is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate: White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcferran, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Origin

Meaning and origin of Mcferran

The surname McFerran is of Scottish origin, with roots that can be traced back to the medieval period in the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to have originated in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Isles.

The name is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "Fearran" or "Fearghan," which is thought to be a personal name or a nickname. The name "Fearran" itself is derived from the Gaelic word "fear," meaning "man." Thus, the name McFerran could be translated as "son of the man named Fearran" or "son of the manly one."

Historical records suggest that the McFerran family played a role in the clan system of the Scottish Highlands. Some early references to the name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th and early 14th centuries, where various spellings such as "McFerran," "McFerrand," and "McFarren" appear.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was John McFerran, who was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document that recorded the names of Scottish nobles who swore fealty to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

In the 16th century, the McFerran family was prominent in the Isle of Arran, where they held lands and were part of the influential Clan Hamilton. A notable figure from this era was Donald McFerran, who was a signatory to the Band of Arran in 1554, a document that sought to protect the rights and privileges of the islanders.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, members of the McFerran family migrated to various parts of Scotland, and some eventually settled in Ulster, Ireland, where they established themselves as landowners and farmers.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname McFerran was Sir James McFerran (1791-1877), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the wool industry. He was instrumental in the development of the city of Melbourne and left a lasting legacy through his charitable contributions.

Other notable McFerrans include:

1. John McFerran (1807-1867), an Irish-born American businessman and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

2. William McFerran (1838-1913), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.

3. Robert McFerran (1819-1894), an Irish-born American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and was a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church.

4. John McFerran (1851-1913), an Irish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba and was involved in the development of the city of Winnipeg.

While the surname McFerran has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread across the globe, with individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields, from business and politics to philanthropy and community development.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcferran surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcferran surname in 1881?

In 1881, 33 people were recorded with the Mcferran surname. That placed it at #28,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcferran surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 236 in 2016. That gives Mcferran a modern rank of #17,470.

What does the Mcferran surname mean?