Abernethy: Last Name Origin and Family Crest

Abernethy is a spelling of the Scottish surname Abernathy. The family name meaning is “mouth of the Nethy”, the same as for Abernathy.

Abernethy coat of arms

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Abernathy surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon.

How the spelling arose

Abernethy writes “e” in place of the “a” found in Abernathy, a common scribal difference. Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard. You may also find the name written Abernethie.

The 2010 US Census counted 2,613 people named Abernethy, ranking it number 11,960 among American surnames. That puts it inside the top 25,000 US surnames. Get the complete Abernethy report, with a museum-style coat of arms.