The McPherson surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 36,125 people carried this name — #965 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 8,160 people counted. That is up 4% from 34,763 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the McPherson surname

Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Mac a' Phearsain (“son of the parson”), from pearsan (“parson”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «McPherson» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Scotland, 1880s

McPherson and Macpherson, counted together, were 24 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 417. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Inverness-shire and adjacent counties.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 592 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

McPherson was recorded 111 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 225th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 206. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

121 families named McPherson, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 610 people lived in those households, 5 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: McPherson, McFarshen, McFarshon, McFarson, MacFashion, Macfason, McFawson, McFercin, McFershion, McFersin, McFersion, Mcfersion, McFerson, Mcferson, McPharson, Macpherson. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 33
Pennsylvania 21
Maryland 18
South Carolina 15
Virginia 11
New York 10
New Hampshire 6
Massachusetts 4
Maine 1
Vermont 1
Connecticut 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 253 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

McPherson in American newspapers,
1914–1920.

Newspaper page from Rawlins Republican carrying the name McPherson
Rawlins Republican 1915-05-13
Newspaper page from Rawlins Republican carrying the name McPherson
Rawlins Republican 1920-11-04
Newspaper page from Rawlins Republican carrying the name McPherson
Rawlins Republican 1914-05-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 251,310 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McPherson in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

86,040 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McPherson. The most, 18,957, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 26,629
New South Wales 26,406
South Australia 12,021
Queensland 10,825
Western Australia 7,044
Tasmania 2,283
ACT (Canberra) 494
Northern Territory 193

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McPherson.

Who carried it

People named McPherson,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Stewart McPherson
    Stewart McPherson 1822–1892 · military personnel
  • James B. McPherson
    James B. McPherson 1828–1864 · military officer
  • Edward McPherson
    Edward McPherson 1830–1895 · writer
  • John R. McPherson
    John R. McPherson 1833–1897 · politician
  • Christopher McPherson d. 1817 · writer
  • John McPherson d. 1890

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named McPherson,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States3,300 records

3,300 records of the McPherson name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,122
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 551
  • Other U.S. records 1,627
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Robert Alan McPherson

    Born 1948; from Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. U.S. Marine Corps, assaultman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Pennsylvania.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record George R. McPherson

    Born 1921 in South Dakota. Enlisted 1940 at Pierre Army Air Field; office clerk. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at Black Hills National Cemetery, South Dakota.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jean McPherson

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Furnessia from Glasgow and Londonderry, aged 23; dressmaker. From Dundee, Scotland; bound for Dayton.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 3,300 records for McPherson in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia4,855 records

4,855 records of the McPherson name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 2,524
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 1,055
  • Other Australian records 1,276
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John McPherson

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Duchess of Northumberland, sailing from Sheerness in 1842. Native of Glasgow, Lanarkshire. Married 1846 in Oatlands, Tasmania, aged 28.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Elizabeth McPherson

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Westmoreland, sailing from Woolwich in 1836. Native of Edinburgh, Midlothian. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1841. Married 1841 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 20.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Isabel McPherson

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Asia, sailing from London in 1847. Native of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4,855 records for McPherson in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).

Canada3,183 records

3,183 records of the McPherson name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 2,800
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 93
  • Other Canadian records 290
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Gilbert McPherson

    Killed in 1900 at the Drummond Mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Angus McPherson

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Sardinian, landing at Halifax, bound for Park hill, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Patricia Ann McPherson

    Died 2000, aged 78; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 3,183 records for McPherson in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

United Kingdom291 records

291 records of the McPherson name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 154
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 81
  • Other British records 56
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Frank McPherson

    Born 1887 at Skye of Curr. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918 (Royal Dublin Fusiliers).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain); National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Archibald McPherson

    Born 1892 at Hopeman; fisherman. Died 1917. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Agnes Craig Wade McPherson

    Buried in 1983 at Strathblane Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 83.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 291 records for McPherson in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand38 records

38 records of the McPherson name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 30
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 3
  • Other New Zealand records 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Alexander McPherson

    Died 1953, aged 68; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Neil McPherson

    Died 1954, aged 79; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie Agnes McPherson

    Died 1898; buried at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 38 records for McPherson in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands6 records

6 records of the McPherson name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 4
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record John McPherson

    Married in 1747 in Rotterdam; sergeant.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Henry Robert Mc Pherson

    In the population register of Londen, England; born 1892 in Londen, England.

    Open Archives, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 6 records for McPherson in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the McPherson name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Emilia McPherson

    Born 1945 in Massacre (Ile de la Dominique); died 1999 in Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with McPherson.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McPherson.

When the index is not enough

This page says where McPherson is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the McPherson volume
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