Ferrell is a surname of Irish origin which comes from the Irish Ó Fearghail. Although there is some speculation of the exact definition, the original Irish Gaelic spelling is Ó Fearghail, and is most commonly believed to mean "Man of Valor." Another variant Farrell being associated with Longford and the rulers of Annaly. The English pronunciation of the name is different, and has many different spellings. Some of which has been falsely attributed to the urban legend of some "common mistakes made by employees of Ellis Island Immigration". This legend claims that immigration employees were not accustomed to ask one the spelling of a common name, but simply wrote it down as it was perceived to be spelled. This could not have happened in this case, as the name Ferrell were very well known in American history by the year 1890 when the first Federal Immigration Station was founded on Ellis Island.
