Surname query FERGUS/FORGIE/FERGUSON.....

[meg mullach]

I asked this question on another forum earlier in the year but didn't get any satisfactory answer only more theories, and wondered if anyone here would be able to help.

Are FERGUS/FORGIE/FERGUSON surnames inter mixable?


I have a death certificate for Christian SNADDON of Alloa, which shows
deceased's parents as John SNADDON and Mary SNADDON
m.s. FORGIE.
I am 99% certain the name written is FORGIE but the certificate is on
line at xs.to Free Image Hosting if anyone can see it differently [2nd entry No 89]

http://xs14.xs.to/pics/05055/S­naddondeath.jpg



I am having trouble locating a marriage for this couple but I
have found a Mary FERGUSON married to John SNADDON in the
right time frame [1807 ] entered in the relevant Alloa Parish OPR.


When in Scotland last year I spoke to a gentleman in a Genealogy
'resource' centre beside Stirling Castle [and who seemed to me to working solely from the IGI] who said the name was most
probably 'FERGIE' which was often used as a shortened version for FERGUSON.
He said on the strength of that I should assume that the John SNADON/Mary FERGUSON marriage I found in the Alloa OPR to be the couple I was looking for, and he proceeded to alter his computer records to show this.
It didn't sound quite right to me; it sounded more like fudging to fit what
I'm looking for but I'm willing tobe proven wrong.


I can see FERGUSON being called FERGIE as shortened nickname
but not to have that put as their surname on a legitimate certificate.


Whilst I know there are mistakes on the IGI, there are also many FORGIES listed there and I found a christening for a Mary FORGIE on 7 Dec 1783, with father Thomas FORGIE and mother Janet SNADON.

I always try and confirm what I find on the IGI at Scotlands people,
but what I have found there is the same date of birth and parents but this
time it's Mary FERGUS.

Because of the birth date can I safely assume that Scotlands' People's Mary FERGUS born 7 Dec 1783 to Thomas FERGUS/Janet SNADEN is also the IGI's Mary FORGIE born 7 Dec 1783 to Thomas FORGIE / Janet SNADEN and then becomes the Mary FERGUSON who married
John SNADEN on 13 Oct 1807 and later became the Mary FORGIE shown on the death certificate?


If they are all one and the same, do I continue looking for descendants among all those names or concentrate on FERGUSON


meg mullach

[Andy]

IGI has the following submissions for Thomas Fergus and Janet Snaden:

MARY FERGUS - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 04 DEC 1783 Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland

ELIZABETH FERGUS - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 12 NOV 1786 Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland

But also a couple of Extracts for Thomas Ferguson and Janet Snaden:

JEAN FERGUSSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 05 JUN 1796 Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland

ELIZABETH FERGUSSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 28 AUG 1791 Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland

AND to Thomas Forgie and Janet Snaden

THOMAS FORGIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 19 JAN 1794 Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland

JANET FORGIE - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 1789 Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland


And one extract of a marriage:

1. THOMAS FERGUS - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Marriage: 12 OCT 1782 Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland

The Alloa records seem to be very complete and, on the face of it, there looks like an slight name change. Assuming, of course that the first Elizabeth died.

[meg mullach]

Thanks for your input Andy,

It does seem they are all the same Mary so I might able to go forward now -

better make that backward

meg mullach