Surname Ferriss - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'F'
Ferriss: What does the surname Ferriss mean?
The surname Ferriss is believed to have derived from the ancient pre-medieval English name "Ferris," which originally came from the Old French personal name “Ferriès,” linked to “ferrum” in Latin, meaning iron. This could suggest that an ancestors of those bearing the Ferriss surname may have been working in the iron industry, possibly as a blacksmith or ironworker. Similarly, the name is associated with the Fergus clan in Ireland, where it is sometimes presented as O'Fearghuis, implying "descendant of Fearghus," with Fearghus interpreted from Gaelic as "a strong and able man." The name is common in Ulster and Kerry regions in Ireland. It is essential to remember, though, that surname origins can be difficult and ambiguous to accurately trace due to various factors such as geographical dispersion and cultural transformation. As such, these interpretations should not be viewed as definitive but instead as probable theories.
Order DNA origin analysisFerriss: Where does the name Ferriss come from?
The last name Ferriss is of Irish origin. It derived from the Gaelic personal name Fergus which means "man strength." Over the years, Fergus was transformed into Ferris and then possibly into Ferriss. The surname first appeared in County Kerry, Ireland and was part of the Dalcassian tribe, a reputedly powerful Irish tribe. The Ferriss name was widespread in the southwest of Ireland and up to today, it remains concentrated in this region. People with the Ferriss surname, in smaller numbers, can also be found in other countries like the United States, Canada, and England, usually due to Irish diaspora in the past centuries. However, the last name Ferriss isn't common; it is a unique surname. Variations of the name, like Ferris, are more prevalent.
Variations of the surname Ferriss
The surname Ferriss is of Irish origin and it has multiple variants and spellings. Some of the common ones include Ferris, Fearis, Ferres, Farris, Faris, Fares, Ferrys and Ferrise. Certain variations may reflect different regional pronunciations and anglicization of the original Irish name.
The name is derived from the Gaelic "O'Fearghuis", which translates to "descendant of Fearghus". Fearghus is a personal name composed of the elements "fear", meaning man, and "gus", meaning strength or vigor.
Ferriss may also be an anglicization of the Irish Ó Fergus, meaning ‘descendant of Fergus’, a personal name derived from elements meaning ‘man’ and ‘choice’.
Due to migrations and the common reshaping of surnames, the name can also be found in altered forms among other cultures and countries, including versions such as the French Ferris or Ferrus, the Italian Ferrisi or Ferriso, the Spanish Ferruz, and the Catalan Ferrús.
Occasionally, the name Ferriss may also have been mistaken for or converted to similar-sounding surnames of different origins, such as the English surname Parris or Farrish. However, these names may not share the same origin or meaning.
Famous people with the name Ferriss
- Tim Ferriss: An American entrepreneur, author, and podcaster, Timothy Ferriss is best known for his self-help book, "The 4-Hour Workweek". He is also a public speaker, and his podcast, "The Tim Ferriss Show", featuring interviews with top performers from various fields, has gained widespread popularity.
- David Ferriss: A former professional baseball player, David "Boo" Ferriss played for the Boston Red Sox in the major leagues. After his playing career ended due to injury, he served as the head baseball coach at Delta State University in his home state of Mississippi.
- Helen Ferris: An American author and editor, Helen Ferris was known for her work in the young adult literature genre. She served as an editor for Junior Books at Doubleday Publishing and also authored several books for young readers, including "No Other White Men" and "Favorite Poems Old and New".
- Jim Ferriss: A professional golfer, Jim Ferriss played briefly on the PGA Tour in the 1960s and later worked as a club professional. His best finish in a major championship came at the 1963 PGA Championship.
- Ethan Ferriss: While not as famous as other individuals on the list, Ethan Ferriss is a contemporary artist known for his work in the field of photography and drawing.