MacPherson

Macpherson is a Scottish surname and the name of a Highland clan. The name is of Gaelic origin, often interpreted as meaning “son of the parson.” The Macpherson surname spread beyond Scotland through emigration and is found worldwide.

Clan Macpherson originated in the Scottish Highlands, with ties to the Badenoch region. In historical records the clan participated in the broader Gaelic and Highland milieu, and its chiefs bore the name Macpherson. The clan remains part of Scotland’s clan heritage, with heraldic arms and historical associations tied to its name.

Notable individuals with the surname include James Macpherson (1736–1796), the Scottish poet and translator who published the Ossian cycle, claiming to have collected Gaelic poems from a source called Ossian. His work influenced 18th-century European reception of Gaelic literature and sparked ongoing scholarly debate about authenticity. Sir William Macpherson of Cluny is a British judge who chaired the public inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence; the inquiry produced the 1999 Macpherson Report, a landmark document on policing and institutional racism in the United Kingdom.

In addition to people, Macpherson is used as a place name in various countries. For example, MacPherson Estate is a residential area in Singapore, and the name appears in other geographic contexts in the English-speaking world.

The surname continues to appear in modern demographics and culture, reflecting its Scottish origins and diasporic spread.