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Ferguson Family History

Ferguson Surname Meaning

Scottish and Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Fergus ‘son of Fearghus’ (see Fergus ) by substituting -son for mac-.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Fergus, Burgeson, Fergason, Berkson, Bergerson, Persson, Bernson

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Ferguson family from?

You can see how Ferguson families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ferguson family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ferguson families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 220 Ferguson families living in New York. This was about 20% of all the recorded Ferguson's in USA. New York had the highest population of Ferguson families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ferguson surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Ferguson ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Ferguson. 15% of Ferguson men worked as a Farmer and 6% of Ferguson women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ferguson were Truck Driver and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Ferguson | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    15%
  • Laborer
    14%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Maid
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Ferguson family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 901,000 census records available for the last name Ferguson. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ferguson census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Ferguson

Passenger Lists

There are 186,000 immigration records available for the last name Ferguson. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ferguson immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 160,000 military records available for the last name Ferguson. For the veterans among your Ferguson ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ferguson military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ferguson family history

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What is the average Ferguson lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Ferguson life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Ferguson in 1940 was 41, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ferguson

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