I made a request for opinions several months ago regarding my Fergus ancestors. Short version being there were 2 brothers, Isaac Fergus and Andrew Fergus. Isaac settled in the Town land of Creevy and Andrew in Finnard. My Dad's side goes down the road for Isaac. Both men married and had children and every birth record I have gives the surname of Fergus sometimes spelled Forgy. Suddenly on Andrew's side the name is changed to Ferguson and when I asked for opinions as to why, I was told that because Andrew couldn't read or write, sometimes spellings for last names would vary. Griffiths Valuation shows Andrew Fergus. I have seen Fergus as Forgy or Forgie, but from Fergus to Ferguson still made me wonder. Since my inquiry I have found that on a birth entry for Andrew Fergus's son Isaac who was born in 24 May 1873, in the side of the form it says that on 26 May 1894, Andrew Fergus entered a statutory declaration and had the name changed to Ferguson. On the birth record his son Isaac, his wife Eliza and himself had their last names changed to Ferguson. All the other children did not have their birth records altered, just Isaac. Further checking on the Valuation Revision books, in 1892 Andrew Fergus, his last name is crossed out and Ferguson added. One theory I received from a historical librarian was that the name Fergus is usually a Catholic name and because Andrew Fergus was living in Finnard, Newry, a very Protestant area, perhaps he wanted to ensure the people in the area that his family were in fact Protestant. Not sure of that, since I would think in those days if they lived in the area for years and attended Church, the people would know they were Protestant. This may be something I will never find out, but I wanted to try one last time to see if anyone with more experienced then me can advise or if there is another route I could take to find out about the name change, or was something going on in 1894 in the area that might cause his family to fear something and therefore change the name?
As always my most sincere thanks for any help, advice or guidance.