MCPHERSON
Recorded variant spellings include Mc Pherson, Mcpherson
The McPherson surname is a patronymic name of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic phrase Mac a' Phearsain or Mac an Phearsain, which translates literally as son of the parson. This construction indicates that the earliest bearers of the name were the descendants of an individual who served in the Christian clergy, a role that conferred a degree of respect within the Gaelic society of the British Isles.
Historical records provide evidence of the name in its early Anglicised forms. In the year 1490 the name appears as Bean Makimpersone, recorded as a witness to a bond between William of Rose and Duncan Makintosche, captain of Clancattane. In 1538 a payment is made to David Makfassane for two “gunnis of matel”. The prior of Strathphillane, Donald Makphersone, is listed in the Black Book of Taymouth in 1585. These entries demonstrate that the surname was already established among the literate and ecclesiastical classes of Scotland during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries.
The Edinburgh Church Records of the seventeenth century contain several marriages that help to trace the family’s social network. On 19 April 1677, Aeneas McPherson was married to Margaret Scrimgeor. Later, on 29 March 1683, Alex McPherson entered into matrimony with Anna Robertson. Such documents illustrate the surname’s continued appearance in the civic records of the urban centres of Scotland.
A notable bearer of the name was John McPherson, born in Edinburgh in 1784. He became a merchant and later emigrated to North‑East Canada, where he established himself in commercial affairs. His movement abroad is an example of the wider dispersal of McPhersons that occurred through Scottish emigration to the English‑speaking world during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The traditional coat of arms associated with the McPherson family is described as follows: a shield per fesse gold and blue, featuring a lymphad with sails furled and gold oars in action; in the dexter chief a hand fessways couped grasping a red dagger erect; and in the sinister chief a red cross crosslet fitcheee. This heraldic device was granted to the family and reflects the martial and maritime elements that were valued by Scottish heraldry.
The earliest known spelling of the family name is Alexander Makfersan, dated 1447. Alexander served as bailie to the bishop of Aberdeen during the reign of King James I of Scotland (1437–1460). This early documentary attestation confirms that the surname had already achieved a degree of prominence within the ecclesiastical administration of the time.
Over the centuries, the McPherson surname has remained relatively common in Scotland, with descendants continuing to bear the name throughout the British Isles and in countries that received Scottish emigrants, such as Canada, the United States, and Australia. The patronymic nature of the surname, its clear Gaelic etymology, and its documented usage in a variety of administrative, ecclesiastical, and heraldic contexts collectively underscore its enduring place in Scottish onomastic history.
Typical given names associated with the McPherson surname
Male
- Alan
- Alexander
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Robert
- Stuart
- William
Female
- Catherine
- Elizabeth
- Fiona
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jean
- Karen
- Laura
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname McPherson in...
Braille
⠍⠉⠏⠓⠑⠗⠎⠕⠝
Morse
---.-..--.......-....----.
Semaphore
There are approximately 9,920 people named McPherson in the UK. That makes it the 935th most common surname in Britain. Around 152 in a million people in Britain are named McPherson.
Surname type: From name of parent
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named McPherson
- Graham McPherson - Musician
- Dave McPherson - Scottish football player
- Dave McPherson - Singer
- Ian McPherson - Scottish football player (1920 to 1983)
- Keith McPherson - Football player
- Brandon McPherson - Football player
- Ken McPherson - Football player (1927 to 2018)
- Malcolm McPherson - Football player
- Bob McPherson - Wheelchair curler
- Archie McPherson - Scottish football player (1909 to 1969)
- John McPherson - Australian politician (1860 to 1897)
- Albert McPherson - Football player (1927 to 2015)
- Bill McPherson - American soccer player (1897 to 1976)
- John McPherson - Scottish football player (1868 to 1926)
- Frank McPherson - Football player (1901 to 1953)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.