The myth of 'Clan Fergusson'

Adam Fergusson, Minister of Moulin (not related) stated in the late 1700s "there are other two Heretors marching with one another in the parish of Mouline of the clann, but not from the same stem with the Baron and the Descendants of Adam: viz. Balledmund and Pitfourie" - we believe he was referring to the line documented here.

But to quote Sir James Fergusson of Kilkerran (The Fergussons, 1956): "It is improbable that the Fergussons had any single common origin. As far back as we can find enough evidence on which to base theories, we notice at least five main groups of Fergusson existing independently - two in the south-west, one in Argyll, one in north-eastern Perthshire and Angus, one in Aberdeenshire - not to mention others in Balquhidder and Strathyre, in Fife, and in Ross-shire. These groups were so widely separated that they never could and, in fact, never did regard themselves as one clan in the same sense as, for example, the Campbells, Macdonalds and Macleans of the Isles, Macleods, Grants or Munros.

A clan, as regarded by the King, the Privy Council, and Parliament in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, was a group of families and their adherents occupying a defined region either in the Highlands or along the English Border, many of them - but by no means all - ­claiming descent from a common ancestor, and all owning allegiance to one chief (who was not necessarily their landlord), and expressing it by submitting to his jurisdiction in peace and rising at his summons to follow him in war. A clan included many who did not bear the same name as the chief and his relatives.

Applying these standards, we can trace at least three and perhaps four groups of Fergussons who lived in the style of a clan under their respective chiefs before the eighteenth century."

In fact, the Fergus(s)on DNA Project has to date identified nearly 50 different haplogroups of men whose name is Fergusson, Ferguson or some variant - in total there may be far more different Fergus(s)on families of independent origins.

So How Do All The Family Names Above Connect to Fergusson?

The names listed in the page header above all relate to this Fergusson line through the connections detailed in the Family Lines - Direct and Family Lines - Indirect pages - head there for clarification.