MacPherson or Macpherson is a surname, meaning "son of the parson" in

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...

. Notable people with the surname include:

In sports

* Archie Macpherson (born 1937), Scottish football commentator * Bruce MacPherson (field hockey), Canadian field hockey player * Bryden Macpherson, Australian amateur golfer * Duncan MacPherson, ice hockey player *

Gus MacPherson Angus Ian MacPherson (born 11 October 1968) is a Scottish football coach and former player. MacPherson's playing career saw spells at Rangers, Exeter City, Kilmarnock, Dunfermline Athletic and St Mirren. His management career began at his f ...

, Scottish footballer * Jeff MacPherson, driver in the CART Championship Car series * Michelle MacPherson, Canadian swimmer

In politics

Ben Macpherson (politician) Ben Macpherson is a Scottish politician who served as Minister for Social Security and Local Government in the Scottish Government from May 2021 to March 2023, having previously served as Minister for Europe, Migration and International Develo ...

, Scottish politician * C. B. Macpherson, Canadian academic * Dean Macpherson, South African politician * Hector Macpherson, Sr. (1875–1970), Canadian-American agricultural economics professor and politician * Hector Macpherson, Jr. (1918–2015), American farmer and politician * James Ian Macpherson, British lawyer and politician *

John Alexander MacPherson John Alexander MacPherson (15 October 1833 – 17 February 1894), Australian colonial politician, was the 7th Premier of Victoria. MacPherson was born at his father's property of ''Springbank'' on the Limestone Plains, in New South Wales (t ...

, Australian politician * John MacPherson (governor of India), Scottish administrator in India * John Thomas Macpherson (1872–1921), English politician * Malcolm MacPherson (1904–1971), Scottish politician * Murdoch MacPherson, Canadian politician * Niall Macpherson, 1st Baron Drumalbyn, Scottish politician * Nicholas Macpherson, British civil servant * Thomas Macpherson, 1st Baron Macpherson of Drumochter (1888–1965), Scottish politician

In music

* Ben Macpherson, Australian musician *

Christina Macpherson "Waltzing Matilda" is a song developed in the Australian style of poetry and folk music called a bush ballad. It has been described as the country's "unofficial national anthem". The title was Australian slang for travelling on foot (waltzing ...

, Australian behind ''Waltzing Matilda'' * Donald Macpherson (piper), Scottish bagpipe player * Fraser MacPherson, Canadian jazz musician *, Northern Irish singer *Graham MacPherson, better known as

Suggs (singer) Graham McPherson (born 13 January 1961), known primarily by his stage name Suggs, is a British singer-songwriter, musician, radio personality and actor. He came to prominence in the late 1970s as the lead singer of the ska band Madness, which ...

, the lead singer of the English band Madness *

Greg MacPherson Gregory Hector Macpherson (born May 3, 1950) is a Democratic politician in the US state of Oregon. From 2003 to 2009, he served as the state representative from District 38, which includes most of Lake Oswego and portions of southwestern Por ...

, Canadian singer-songwriter *

Jim Macpherson The Breeders are an American alternative rock band based in Dayton, Ohio, consisting of members Kim Deal (rhythm guitar, lead vocals), her twin sister Kelley Deal (lead guitar, vocals), Josephine Wiggs (bass guitar, vocals) and Jim Macpherson ( ...

, United States percussionist * Linda Lizotte-MacPherson, Canadian public servant *

Sandy MacPherson Sandy may refer to: People and fictional characters *Sandy (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or nickname * Sandy (surname), a list of people * Sandy (Iranian music band), Iranian singer, comp ...

, Canadian theatre organist

In literature

* James Alan McPherson, American essayist *

James Macpherson James Macpherson ( Gaelic: ''Seumas MacMhuirich'' or ''Seumas Mac a' Phearsain''; 27 October 1736 – 17 February 1796) was a Scottish writer, poet, literary collector, and politician. He is known for the Ossian cycle of epic poems, which he ...

, Scottish poet *

Jay Macpherson Jean Jay Macpherson (June 13, 1931 – March 21, 2012) was a Canadian lyric poet and scholar. '' The Encyclopædia Britannica'' calls her "a member of 'the mythopoeic school of poetry,' who expressed serious religious and philosophical themes in s ...

, Canadian poet

In show business and news

Daniel MacPherson Daniel MacPherson is an Australian actor and television presenter, known for his roles as Joel Samuels in ''Neighbours'', PC Cameron Tait in ''The Bill'', Sergeant Samuel Wyatt in Sky and Cinemax's '' Strike Back'', Whit Carmichael in the ...

, Australian actor and television presenter * Don Macpherson, Canadian journalist *

Duncan Macpherson Duncan Ian Macpherson, CM (September 20, 1924 in Toronto – May 3, 1993 in Beaverton, Ontario) was a Canadian editorial cartoonist. He drew for the ''Montreal Standard'' (starting 1948) and for ''Maclean's'', illustrating the writings of Gr ...

, Canadian editorial cartoonist *

Elle Macpherson Eleanor Nancy Macpherson ( ; ; born ) is an Australian model, businesswoman, television host, and actress. She is known for her record five cover appearances for the ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'' beginning in the 1980s, leading to her ...

, Australian supermodel and actress * Gordon Macpherson, Founder of Macpherson Menswear – Palmerston North, New Zealand. * Hector Macpherson (1851–1924), Scottish journalist and writer *

Jeanie MacPherson Abbie Jean MacPherson (May 18, 1886 – August 26, 1946) was an American silent actress, writer and director. She is known for her collaborations with directors D. W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille, and was a founding member of the Academy of M ...

(1886–1946), American silent actress, writer and director *

Malcolm MacPherson Malcolm MacPherson (18 August 1904 – 24 May 1971) was a Scottish Labour politician. Biography Malcolm MacPherson was born on the Isle of May, in the Firth of Forth, where his father, John McPherson, was one of the lighthouse keepers. Malc ...

(1943–2009), American journalist and author *

Myra MacPherson Myra MacPherson (born 1934) is an American author, biographer, and journalist known for writing about politics, the Vietnam War, feminism, and death and dying. Although her work has appeared in many publications, she had a long affiliation with ...

, American journalist and author * Richard MacPherson, American actor

Others

* Alexander Macpherson, English architect * Cluny MacPherson, Newfoundland medical doctor and inventor of the gas mask * Colin MacPherson, Scottish Roman Catholic Bishop of Argyll and the Isles from 1968 to 1990 * Donald Macpherson (disambiguation), several people *

Earle S. MacPherson Earle Steele MacPherson (July 6, 1891 – January 26, 1960) was an American automotive engineer, most famous for developing the MacPherson strut in the 1940s. Biography Earle S. MacPherson was born in Highland Park, Illinois, in 1891, and was ...

, the Ford engineer who developed the MacPherson strut in the 1940s * Ewen MacPherson of Cluny, Scottish Jacobite *

Fiona Macpherson Fiona Macpherson (born 19 October 1971) is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Glasgow, where she is also Director of the Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2017 ...

, FRSE, MAE, Scottish Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Centre for the Study of Perceptual Experience, University of Glasgow * Hector Macpherson (astronomer) (1888–1956), Scottish clergyman and astronomer, son of Hector C. Macpherson * Ian MacPherson, Canadian historian *

Jamie Macpherson James Macpherson (–1700) was a Scottish outlaw, famed for his lament before execution. He grew up a talented swordsman and fiddle player, then became leader of a gang of robbers. He was arrested in Keith and died in Banff. The lament was rew ...

, Scottish outlaw, famed for his lament * John Macferson, early 18th-century English pirate *Sir

Macpherson Robertson Sir Macpherson Robertson Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, KBE (6 September 185920 August 1945) was an Australian philanthropist, entrepreneur and founder of chocolate and confectionery company ''MacRobertson's''. He was als ...

, Australian philanthropist and entrepreneur * Robert Macpherson (disambiguation), multiple people *Colonel

Ronald MacPherson Ronald MacPherson (14 July 1817 – 6 December 1869) was a military officer, architect and colonial administrator in Singapore. He is well known for the design of the St Andrew Cathedral. Early life and education Born in the Isle of Skye, Mac ...

or Ranald MacPherson (1817–1869), architect and colonial administrator *Colonel

Tommy Macpherson Colonel Sir Ronald Thomas Stewart Macpherson (4 October 1920 – 6 November 2014) was a highly decorated British Army officer during and after the Second World War. He fought with the No. 11 Commando unit and French Resistance forces, becoming ...

, British army officer * Sir William Macpherson, High Court Judge in England

Fictional characters

* Anya MacPherson, fictional character in ''Degrassi: The Next Generation''