Fergus (name)

Fergus (Fearghus)
Pronunciation	English: /ˈfɜːrɡəs/; Irish: [ˈfʲaɾˠəgəsˠ]; Scottish Gaelic: [ˈfɛɾɛɣəs̪]
Gender	Male
Origin
Word/name	Proto-Celtic
Meaning	"man-strength, virility".
Other names
Alternative spelling	Fearghus, Fearghas
Related names	Fearghal, Fergal, Ferris

Fergus or Feargus is a common and one of the oldest known Scottish or Irish male given name derived from Old Irish, meaning "the strong (one)" or "the masculine (one)".^[1]^[2]

As a surname, Ferguson or Fergusson is common across Scotland but particularly in Perthshire and Ayrshire. In Ireland, the Ferris family of County Kerry derives its surname from the patronymic Ó Fearghusa.

Given name

Saints

Saint Fergus

Nobles

Fergus the Great (died c. 645), also known as Gwrgan Fawr or Gurgantius, a king of Ergyng, a Welsh kingdom of the early medieval period
Fergus mac Echdach, Scottish king of Dál Riata from about 778 to 781
Fergus of Galloway (died 1161), Lord of Galloway
Fergus, Earl of Buchan (died before 1214)
Fergus Morton, Baron Morton of Henryton, judge

Politicians

Fergy Brown Canadian politician
Fergus Ewing (born 1957), Scottish politician
Fergus Graham (1893-1978), 5th Baronet, British Member of Parliament
Fergus McAteer, Irish politician
Fergus Medwin (1874-1934), Australian politician
Fergus Montgomery (1927-2013), British thrice Member of Parliament
Fergus O'Brien, Irish politician
Fergus O'Dowd, Irish politician
Fergus Ó hÍr, Irish activist, politician, head teacher and broadcaster
Fergus Smith (1843–1924), Australian politician

Writers and academics

Fergus I. M. Craik (born 1935), Scottish cognitive psychologist
Fergus Hume, novelist
Fergus Gordon Kerr (born 1931), Scottish Catholic priest, philosopher and theologian
Fergus Millar (1935–2019), British historian and Oxford professor
Fergus Pyle (1935–1997), Irish journalist and editor

Others

Fergus Bowes-Lyon, brother of the Queen Mother
Fergus Johnston (born 1959), Irish composer
Fergus McMaster (1879-1950), Australian businessman and aviation pioneer
Fergus Riordan, actor
Feargus Urquhart, Scottish-American video game designer
Fergus McCreadie (born 1997), Scottish jazz pianist

Mythological figures

Fergus I (mythological king), said to be the "first king of Scotland"
Fergus Dubdétach, legendary High King of Ireland of the 3rd century AD
Fergus Fortamail, legendary High King of Ireland of the 4th century BC
Fergus mac Léti, legendary king of Ulster
Fergus mac Róich, in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology
Fergus Mór, a king of Dál Riata in Scottish mythology
Fergus Lethderg ("red-side" or "half-red"), a son of Nemed who leads his people against the Fomorians in the Irish Mythological Cycle
Fergus, son of Eochaid Mugmedon, half-brother of Niall of the Nine Hostages (5th century)
Sir Fergus, one of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table in Le Morte d'Arthur

Fictional characters

Fergus the Railway Traction Engine, in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Fergus Cramer from the Nero Wolfe series
Claudel "Fergus" Fraser, a supporting character from Outlander, both in the series of novels and the television adaptation
Fergus Fuzz, a main character in the BBC puppet series The Furchester Hotel
Fergus Kearney, in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street
Fergus MacLeod, real name of Crowley from the TV series Supernatural
Fergus McDuck, a Disney character
Fergus Shannon, a dog in children's books by David Shannon
King Fergus, the leader of the foxes in the German film Der Stürmer
King Fergus, father of Princess Merida in the animated film Brave
Fergus, a child of Shrek in the animated film Shrek Forever After

Surname

Alex Fergus (1899–?), Scottish professional association footballer
Dylan Fergus (b. 1980), American actor
Greg Fergus (b. 1969), Canadian politician
Sir Howard Fergus, Montserratian writer and historian
James Fergus (1813–1902), miner, rancher, businessman and politician in Minnesota and Montana
John Fergus (politician) (died 1865), British politician
John Fergus (scholar) (c. 1700–c. 1761), Irish physician and man of letters
Keith Fergus (b. 1954), American professional golfer
Oris Fergus, Montserratian cricketer
Thomas Fergus (1850–1914), New Zealand politician
Tom Fergus (b. 1962), Canadian-raised American retired National Hockey League player

References

^ Way, George and Squire, Romily. Collins Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia. (Foreword by The Rt Hon. The Earl of Elgin KT, Convenor, The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs). Published in 1994. Pages 136 - 137.
^ Macbain, Alexander (1911) [1896], An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language, Inverness: Stirling: Eneas Mackay, p. 168