How common is the surname Ferguson?

146,426 people in the United States had the surname Ferguson in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 2,109 Americans. It ranked 188th of 162,253 surnames.

Who is the most famous person named Ferguson?

Keith Ferguson, American voice actor (born 1972), followed by Craig Ferguson.

Where is the surname Ferguson most common?

Wikidata records people named Ferguson in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia and 3 other countries.

How do you pronounce Ferguson?

Ferguson is /ˈfɝɡəsən/, 3 syllables.

Is the surname Ferguson getting more or less common?

More common. 142,256 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 146,426 in 2010, up 2.9%.

What are other spellings of Ferguson?

Fergusson, Furgason, Furgerson and Furgeson.

Is Ferguson also a first name?

Yes. Ferguson is used as a first name as well as a surname; its first-name page has the meaning and how many babies were given it.

The surname Ferguson

A patronymic surname, carried by 146,426 people in the United States.

Pronounced /ˈfɝɡəsən/ 3 syllables Soundex F622 Also a first name

Every surname held by 100 or more people in the 2010 US Census, most common on the left (162,253 in all). Ferguson is more common than 99.9% of them.

Origin

From Fergus + -son, translation of Gaelic MacFhearguis, "son of Fergus".

Ferguson is a patronymic surname: formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name.

Origin from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

How common it is

2010 US Census

There were 146,426 people named Ferguson in the United States in 2010, about 1 in every 2,109 Americans. That is up 2.9% since 2000, when the Census counted 142,256.

#188

rank among US surnames

146,426

people in 2010

per 100,000 Americans

+2.9%

change since 2000 (was #173)

Rank	Surname	People	1 in
#179	Salazar	152,703	2,022
#180	Fox	152,334	2,027
#181	Warren	152,147	2,029
#182	Mills	151,942	2,032
#183	Meyer	150,895	2,046
#184	Rice	149,500	2,065
#185	Schmidt	147,034	2,100

Who is named Ferguson

Race and Hispanic origin as people reported it in the 2010 Census

75% of people named Ferguson identified as white (not Hispanic), 19% as Black (not Hispanic) and 2.5% as Hispanic or Latino (any race).

White (not Hispanic) 75%
Black (not Hispanic) 19%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.5%
Two or more races 2.2%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.6%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.6%

Compare: most common surnames among white Americans.

Famous Fergusons

51 notable people on Wikidata, most written-about first

Keith Ferguson
American voice actor (born 1972)
Craig Ferguson
British actor, born 1962
Jesse Tyler Ferguson
American actor, born 1975
Tony Ferguson
American mixed martial artist (born 1984)
Priah Ferguson
American actress (born 2006)
Christopher Ferguson
American astronaut, born 1961
James Ferguson
American astronomer (1797–1867)
Miriam A. Ferguson
American politician (1875-1961)
Marilyn Ferguson
American writer (1938-2008)
Cathy Ferguson
American swimmer, born 1948
Chris Ferguson
American poker player, born 1963
Jay R. Ferguson
American actor, born 1974

Notable Fergusons come mostly from the United States (38), the United Kingdom (4) and Australia (4).

Spellings and sound-alikes

Useful when a record has your ancestor under another spelling

Variant spellings

Fergusson
Furgason
Furgerson
Furgeson

Surnames that sound like Ferguson

Fergus

Ferguson has the Soundex code F622, the code US census indexes have used since the 1930s. Every surname with code F622.

Questions

Where does the surname Ferguson come from?: From Fergus + -son, translation of Gaelic MacFhearguis, "son of Fergus".
How common is the surname Ferguson?: 146,426 people in the United States had the surname Ferguson in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 2,109 Americans. It ranked 188th of 162,253 surnames.
What ethnicity is the surname Ferguson?: In the 2010 Census, 75% of people named Ferguson identified as white (not Hispanic), and 19% as Black (not Hispanic).
Who is the most famous person named Ferguson?: Keith Ferguson, American voice actor (born 1972), followed by Craig Ferguson.
Where is the surname Ferguson most common?: Wikidata records people named Ferguson in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia and 3 other countries.
How do you pronounce Ferguson?: Ferguson is /ˈfɝɡəsən/, 3 syllables.
What type of surname is Ferguson?: Ferguson is a patronymic surname, formed from a father’s (or ancestor’s) given name.
Is the surname Ferguson getting more or less common?: More common. 142,256 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 146,426 in 2010, up 2.9%.
What are other spellings of Ferguson?: Fergusson, Furgason, Furgerson and Furgeson.
Is Ferguson also a first name?: Yes. Ferguson is used as a first name as well as a surname; its first-name page has the meaning and how many babies were given it.