Find out how popular the last name Ferguson is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ferguson.

Ferguson, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Ferguson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ferguson in America

Ferguson is the 188th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ferguson surname appeared 146,426 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 50 people would have the surname Ferguson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ferguson to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Ferguson

The surname Ferguson has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared around the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name 'Feargus', which means 'man of force' or 'brave man'. The name was particularly common in the counties of Ayr, Dumfries, and Fife.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists a John Fersithson as a tenant in Ayrshire. The name was also recorded in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1369, where a Thomas Fersone is mentioned.

The name Ferguson is closely associated with the Scottish clan of the same name, which has its roots in the ancient Celtic kingdom of Dalriada. The clan's ancestral lands were located in Argyllshire and the islands of Islay and Jura.

In the 16th century, the Fergusons were involved in the long-running feud between the Clan MacDonald of Islay and the Clan MacDougall of Lorn. One notable figure from this period was Fergus Mor MacFergus, who was the Chief of the Clan Ferguson in the early 1500s.

As the name spread across Scotland and beyond, various spellings emerged, including Fergussone, Fergusson, and Fergusoun. One of the earliest recorded instances of the modern spelling 'Ferguson' can be found in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland in 1492, where a John Ferguson is mentioned.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the surname Ferguson. These include:

1. Robert Ferguson (1637-1714), a Scottish minister and author known for his work 'The Interest of Reason in Religion'.

2. Adam Ferguson (1723-1816), a Scottish philosopher and historian who wrote 'An Essay on the History of Civil Society'.

3. Sir Samuel Ferguson (1810-1886), an Irish poet and antiquarian who played a significant role in the Celtic Revival movement.

4. Sarah Fergusson (1823-1892), a Scottish-born Australian pioneer and diarist, known for her accounts of life in colonial Australia.

5. Sir William Ferguson (1820-1887), a Scottish-born Australian politician and landowner who served as Premier of New South Wales.

The Ferguson surname has a rich history, rooted in the rugged terrain of Scotland and the ancient Celtic cultures that inhabited the region. It has since spread across the globe, carried by individuals who have left their mark in various fields, from literature and philosophy to politics and exploration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ferguson

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ferguson.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ferguson was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Ferguson has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Ferguson was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ferguson, please contact us.

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