Abernethy is a

surname In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

whose origins link to a

Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Goidelic languages, Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity and descent to members, and in modern times have an official ...

that descends from Orm de Abernethy, a grandson of Gille Míchéil,

Earl of Fife The Earl of Fife or Mormaer of Fife was the ruler of the province of Fife in medieval Scotland, which encompassed the modern counties of Fife and Kinross. Due to their royal ancestry, the earls of Fife were the highest ranking nobles in the re ...

that presumably settled at

Abernethy, Perth and Kinross Abernethy ( gd, Obar Neithich) is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, situated south-east of Perth. Etymology Abernethy, recorded in the 10th century as ''Aburnethige'', means 'mouth of the river Nethy'. The first element of the name is ...

. The name is of non-Gaelic Pictish origin, from a period when the Caledonian Welsh or Brytons controlled these lands. 'Aber' is modern Welsh for 'estuary' or 'confluence of rivers'. Notable people who have this surname include: *

Alan Abernethy Alan Francis Abernethy (born 12 April 1957) is an Irish Anglican bishop, and former Bishop of Connor. Educated at Grosvenor Grammar School, Grosvenor High School, Belfast, Queen's University Belfast and Trinity College Dublin, and ordained in 1 ...

(born 1957), Irish bishop *

Alexander de Abernethy Alexander de Abernethy (after 1271 – c. 1315) was a Scottish baron. He was a son of Hugh de Abernethy and Maria de Ergadia. Alexander was a descendant of abbots of Abernethy; his great-grandfather Laurence, great-grandson of Gillemichael, Ea ...

(died ca. 1315), Scottish magnate *

Alister Abernethy Alister Scott Abernethy (24 September 1920 – 5 June 2003) was a New Zealand trade unionist, politician and public servant. Over a 39 year period he was an elected member in three different parts of New Zealand. Biography Abernethy was born i ...

(1920–2003), New Zealand politician *

Arthur Talmage Abernethy Arthur Talmage Abernethy (October 10, 1872 – May 15, 1956) was a writer, theologian, and poet. He pastored several churches, contributed articles and poems to newspapers around the United States, and was named by Governor R. Gregg Cherry as the ...

(1872–1956), journalist, theologian, poet; first North Carolina Poet Laureate *

Bob Abernethy Robert Gordon Abernethy (November 5, 1927 – May 2, 2021) was an American journalist, best known for serving various roles during a 42-year career with NBC News. He later co-created, and was executive editor and host of '' Religion & Ethics New ...

(1927–2021), American television journalist * Bob Abernethy (footballer) (1900–1969), Australian rules footballer *

Bruce Abernethy Bruce Abernethy (born 10 May 1962) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the North Melbourne Football Club Collingwood Football Club and Adelaide Football Club in the Victorian/Australian Football League (VF ...

(born 1962), Australian rules football player * Bruce Abernethy (cricketer) (born 1958), New Zealand former cricketer *

Charles Laban Abernethy Charles Laban Abernethy (March 18, 1872 – February 23, 1955) was a Democratic U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1922 and 1935. Born in Rutherford College, North Carolina, Abernethy attended local public schools in Rutherford Col ...

(1872–1955), American politician * Darrell Abernethy (1949–2017), American Associate Director for Drug Safety at the Food and Drug Administration *

George Abernethy George Abernethy (October 7, 1807 – March 2, 1877) was an American politician, pioneer, notable entrepreneur, and first governor of Oregon under the provisional government based in the Willamette Valley, an area later a part of the American sta ...

(1807–1877), American politician * Georgina Abernethy (1859–1906), New Zealand suffragist and leader of Wesleyan women *

Glen Abernethy Glen Abernethy (born 1971Legis ...

(born 1971), American politician * Hugh Abernethy (born 1967), Scottish former professional snooker player *

Haymitch Abernathy The following is a list of characters in ''The Hunger Games'' novels, a series of young adult science fiction novels by Suzanne Collins whose original trilogy was later adapted into a series of four feature films. The actors who portray these c ...

, fictional character in the

Hunger Games ''The Hunger Games'' is a series of young adult dystopian novels written by American author Suzanne Collins. The first three novels are part of a trilogy following teenage protagonist Katniss Everdeen, and the fourth book is a prequel set 6 ...

series of books and novels *

James Abernethy James Abernethy FRSE (12 June 1814 – 8 March 1896) was a Scottish civil engineer. Biography Abernethy was born in Aberdeen to George Abernethy, an engineer, and Isabella Johnston. In 1823, the family moved to South Wales, where his father m ...

(1814–1896), British civil engineer *

Jim Abernethy Noel James Abernethy (4 November 1902 – 1 October 1974) was an Australian rules footballer who played as a half-back flanker who played for the Melbourne Football Club after being schooled at Wesley College, Melbourne, Wesley College. He play ...

(1902–1974), Australian rules footballer *

John Abernethy (judge) John Birley Abernethy (born 1947 in Wagga Wagga, Australia) is a former Coroner's Court of New South Wales, State Coroner of New South Wales. Early life and education John Birley Abernethy was born in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales in 1947.Phill ...

(born 1947), former State Coroner of New South Wales *

John Abernethy (minister) John Abernethy (19 October 1680 – 1 December 1740) was an Irish Presbyterian minister and church leader, the grandfather of the surgeon John Abernethy. Life He was born at Coleraine, County Londonderry, where his father John was a Pres ...

(1680–1740), Irish Presbyterian minister and church leader *

John Abernethy (surgeon) John Abernethy FRS (3 April 1764 – 20 April 1831) was an English surgeon. He is popularly remembered today for having given his name to the Abernethy biscuit, a coarse-meal baked good meant to aid digestion. Life He was a grandson of Jo ...

FRS (1764–1831), English surgeon * LeRoy Abernethy (1885–1959), American college football player *

Liam Abernethy William J. Abernethy (1929 – 21 October 1980) was an Irish hurler who played as a right corner-forward for the Cork senior team. Abernethy made his first appearance for the team during the 1951-52 National Hurling League and was a sometimes ...

(1929–1980), Irish hurler *

Lord Abernethy The Lord of Abernethy was from the 12th century to the 14th century the hereditary holder of the church and lands of the Scottish monastery at Abernethy. It gradually evolved alongside the title Abbot of Abernethy, displacing that term in extant ...

, hereditary title in the Peerage of Scotland *

John Cameron, Lord Abernethy John Alastair Cameron, Lord Abernethy, PC (born 1 February 1938) is a Scottish lawyer, and a former Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the country's Supreme Courts, serving from 1992 to 2007, when he retired. He was a member of the ...

(born 1938), a Senator of the College of Justice of Scotland * Meg of Abernethy (1355–1405), Scottish musician * Milton A. Abernethy (died 1991), American journalist, magazine editor, business owner, and stockbroker * Moira Abernethy (born 1939), South African swimmer *

Ralph Abernathy Ralph David Abernathy Sr. (March 11, 1926 – April 17, 1990) was an American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was ordained in the Baptist tradition in 1948. As a leader of the civil rights movement, he was a close friend and ...

(1926-1990), American civil rights activist and minister * Robert Abernethy (born 1971), Australian swimmer * Robert J. Abernethy (born 1940), American entrepreneur and philanthropist *

Rod Abernethy Rod Abernethy is a performing songwriter, guitarist, and composer. His music has been used as scores for EA, Midway, Vivendi, Universal, Sony, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Paramount, Disney, THQ, Activision, Konami, Majesco Entertainment, NC Soft, Namco ...

, American video game music composer *

Roy Abernethy Roy Abernethy (September 29, 1906, Pennsylvania – February 28, 1977, Jupiter, Florida) was an executive in the American automobile industry, serving as CEO of American Motors Corporation (AMC) from February 1962 to January 1967. Prior to his ...

(1906–1977), American businessman * Ruth Abernethy (born 1960), Canadian sculptor * Terence Abernethy (born 1930), South African cricketer * Thomas Abernethy (disambiguation), several people *

Tom Abernethy Thomas Craig Abernethy (born May 6, 1954) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers and won a national championship in 1976. Abernethy was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers in th ...

(born 1954), American professional basketball player *

Virginia Abernethy Virginia Deane Abernethy (born 1934) is an American anthropologist and activist. She is professor emerita of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She has published research on population demography and immigration. She ran for ...

(born 1934), American professor of psychiatry and anthropology Some notable people use Abernethy as their middle name: * William Abernethy Drummond (1719–1809), bishop of Edinburgh *

Ralph Abernethy Gamble Ralph Abernethy Gamble (May 6, 1885 – March 4, 1959) was a Republican politician who represented Westchester County, New York in the United States House of Representatives from 1937 to 1957. He was a member of the prominent Gamble family of Sou ...

(1885–1959), American politician *

William Abernethy Ogilvie William Abernethy Ogilvie, (March 3, 1901 – August 28, 1989) was a Canadian painter and war artist. Early life Ogilvie came to Canada in 1925 and after living in Toronto, went to New York from 1925–1930 to study at the Art Students Leag ...

(1901–1989), Canadian painter and war artist

See also