Fergus (name)

Fergus or Feargus is a popular Scottish or Irish male given name. It originally derives from the Proto-Celtic elements *wiros ("man") and *gustus ("vigour", "force", or "choice"). The first known example is with reference to a Pictish king.

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, 17th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorn, Chief of Clan Lyon, cousin of the Queen Mother
• Fergus Morton, Baron Morton of Henryton, judge

Others

• Fergus Bowes-Lyon, brother of the Queen Mother
• Fergy Brown
• Fergus I. M. Craik (born 1935), Scottish cognitive psychologist
• Fergus Ewing (born 1957), Scottish politician
• Fergus Gillespie, Chief Herald of Ireland
• Fergus Graham (1893-1978), 5th Baronet, British Member of Parliament
• Fergus Hume, novelist
• Fergus Johnston (born 1959), Irish composer
• Fergus Gordon Kerr (born 1931), Scottish Catholic priest, philosopher and theologian
• Fergus McAteer, Irish politician
• Fergus McMaster (1879-1950), Australian businessman and aviation pioneer
• Fergus Medwin (1874-1934), Australian politician
• Fergus Millar (born 1935), British historian and Oxford professor
• Fergus Montgomery (1927-2013), British thrice Member of Parliament
• Fergus O'Brien, Irish politician
• Fergus O'Dowd, Irish politician
• Fergus Pyle (1935–1997), Irish journalist and editor
• Fergus Riordan, actor
• Fergus Smith (1843–1924), Australian politician
• Feargus Urquhart, a game developer

Fictional or mythological characters

• 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
• Fergus McDuck, Disney character
• Fergus the Railway Traction Engine, character in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
• the title character of Fergus the Fish, British preschoolers' cartoon series in the 1960s^[1]
• Fergus Cramer from the Nero Wolfe series
• Fergus Shannon, dog appearing in children's books by David Shannon
• Fergus the Hostler, a secondary character in the 1956 Robin Hood parody The Court Jester
• Fergus Dargle, a character created by Bennigan's ^[2]
• King Fergus, the leader of the foxes in the German film Der Sturmer
• King Fergus, father of Princess Mérida in the animated movie Brave
• Fergus Roderick McLeod, Crowley [King of Hell]'s real name when he was human in 1661-1723 before he was dragged down to hell, from the TV series Supernatural.
• Fergus Fuzz, Furchester leader from The Furchester Hotel
• Fergus Kearney, in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street

Surname

• Alex Fergus (1899–?), Scottish professional association footballer
• Dylan Fergus (b. 1980), American actor
• Sir Howard Fergus, Montserratian writer and historian
• James Fergus (1813–1902), miner, rancher, businessman and politician in Minnesota and Montana
• John Fergus (c. 1700–c. 1761), Irish physician and man of letters
• Keith Fergus (b. 1954), American professional golfer
• Oris Fergus, Montserratian cricketer
• Thomas Fergus (1815–1914), New Zealand politician
• Tom Fergus (b. 1962), Canadian-raised American retired National Hockey League player

See also

• List of Scottish Gaelic given names
• List of Irish-language given names
• Ferragus (disambiguation)

References