# Fergus (surname)

Source: https://namelineage.com/surname/fergus/  
Publisher: Name Lineage. Counts from the US Census Bureau; origin and etymology from Wiktionary; bearers from Wikidata. Data updated 2026-11-11.

A surname originating as a patronymic.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin | not recorded |
| Type | patronymic, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name |
| People in the US (2010 Census) | 1,850 |
| US rank (2010) | 15,758 of 162,253 |
| How often | about 1 in every 166,889 people |
| Change since 2000 | +0.7% (1,837 in 2000) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈfɝɡəs/, 2 syllables |
| Variant spellings | Vargus |

## Etymology

From Irish or Scottish Gaelic Fearghas. The first element may be related to modern fìor (“true”) or fear (“man”) (cf. Fearchar). The second element has been understood to mean 'choice' (cf. Angus). Thus the name means either "most chosen one" or "chosen man".

## Who carries it

Share of people named Fergus in the 2010 US Census by the Census's own race and ethnicity groups. The Census suppresses a share when the count behind it is small.

| Group | Share |
|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 80% |
| Black (not Hispanic) | 12% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.2% |
| Two or more races | 2.4% |

## Similar surnames

Ferguson, Farkas, Fregoso, Fragoso, Frakes, Fresquez.

## How to read these numbers

A Census count is people alive and counted in 2010, not births, and names occurring fewer than 100 times are not published at all. Ethnicity shares are the Census's own categories.