Surname Fearghurs - Meaning and Origin

Fearghurs: What does the surname Fearghurs mean?

The last name Fearghurs is derived from the Norman surname Fergusson. It was first recorded in Scotland in 1370 and can take on a variety of spellings, such as Fergus and Ferrous.

The root of the name is the Old Gaelic Fergus, which was a popular given name in Scotland, Ireland, England, and other places in the British Isles. Fergus is of uncertain etymology and might simply be derived from fear ("man").

The Fearghurs surname likely originated in the 13th century when Fergus, a Norman knight, assisted William the Conqueror in the Battle of Hastings and was rewarded with lands near Inverness in Scotland. His descendants in Scotland became known as the Fergussons or Fearghurs.

One notable bearer of this name is Griffith Fearghurs, a Welsh soldier and poet who was born in the mid-16th century and later served Lord Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, the leader in the struggle for Welsh independence from England.

The Fearghurs surname has been present in Scotland and Wales for centuries. It is found in records of baptisms, christenings, marriages, deaths, and burials, and among full family trees and historical documents. The notorious Fergusson family of Scotland, as well as the Fearghurs of Wales, have furthered the reach of the surname throughout the British Isles and beyond.

Fearghurs: Where does the name Fearghurs come from?

The surname Fearghurs is most commonly found in Ireland today. It is an example of an anglicized Irish name, which were common in the 1500s as part of the British colonization of the island.

The name Fearghurs is a variant of the Irish names Fearchar or Fearghal, which both mean ‘man of valour’ or ‘manly courage.’ This name was used as a personal name for many leaders in the medieval period, including the Scottish and Irish kings. The name was also popular among the Norman invaders during the time of the Plantation of Ulster in the 16th century.

Today, the surname Fearghurs is most often found in the counties of Galway and Cork in western Ireland. It is also present in the United Kingdom, particularly in Northern Ireland, where in 2019 it was the 228th most common name in the country.

The Gallup Poll of 1886 found seven families with the surname Fearghurs in Galway, while th 57th Report of the Deputy Keeper of Public Records in Ireland recorded 22 families with the name in County Mayo.

The surname Fearghurs has also been anglicized to variants such as Farrah, Farrar, Farragher, Farris and Farrish, all of which are still present in Ireland and the UK today.

Variations of the surname Fearghurs

The surname Fearghurs (or Farraghers) is an Anglicized version of Gaelic surnames O'Fearghusa or Ó Fearghusa, which is derived from Fearchara, a personal name. From the same root, other variants exist, including the Irish surnames O'Farey, O'Fergy, Farry, Fee, Farraher, Farrar, and Fearhráin.

Fearghus is a Gaelic influence which means ‘manly'' and is often found in combination with other Gaelic surnames like O'Fearghusa. The O' prefix indicates descent from a particular clan. Other surname spellings in use include O'Farreghasa, Fergusson, and Ferguson.

In Scotland, Feorais (or Fearais) is another Gaelic root for FEARGHUS. It is a masculine given name meaning “Manly” (from the Gaelic “fear” meaning man, and “ghas” meaning manliness) and could be the source of the surname Fearghurs.

In England, Fearghurs is also a variant of the surname Farrar, an Old English surname which derived from the Old French word “ferror”, meaning a “mender of iron tools”. The surname Farrer is also a variant.

The Welsh version of the Fearghus surname is ffergus, which is derived from the Welsh verb “fferg”, meaning “to strive”. Variants of this surname include O’Ffyrs (or O’Ffers), Ffers, and Fferser.

In Scotland, the surname Ferghus (or Fergus) is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic MacFhearghais, which means “son of Fhearghas”. This surname could be derived from either the Gaelic personal name Fearchara, or the Norman French personal name Fergus. Variants include McFarlane, Farlane, and Farlan.

Finally, the surname Fearghal is a Gaelic personal name derived from the word “Fearghal”, meaning “valiant man”. It is also an Irish form of the Welsh name “Gwral”, meaning “man of valor”. Variants of this surname include O'Farrell, Farrell, and Pharrel.

Famous people with the name Fearghurs

• Grant Fearghurs: Australian rules footballer for the Fremantle Football Club;
• Euan Fearghurs: Scottish rugby player, former captain of Glasgow Warriors;
• Laurie Fearghurs: Cricket player for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club;
• Jack Fearghurs: Footballer for Manchester City's reserve team since 2017;
• Robert Fearghurs: Professional tennis player, specializing in doubles;
• Sam Fearghurs: English footballer, played for Sheffield Wednesday;
• Paul Fearghurs: English professional footballer, formerly played for AFC Bournemouth;
• Owen Fearghurs: Australian rugby league player, plays for St. George's Illawarra Dragons;
• Harry Fearghurs: British stage actor, best known for originating the role of Ludo in the musical adaptation of 1983 movie, WarGames;
• William Fearghurs: Canadian actor who appeared in the 1990 movie, Night of the Twisters.

Other surnames

Fearghur