Surname Murrey - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
Murrey: What does the surname Murrey mean?
Murrey, a surname of Scottish origin, is derived from the region of Moray in Northeastern Scotland. The area was originally named "Moreb" and later "Moray" which means "settlement by the sea" in Gaelic. The name was taken up by the lords of this region during the Middle Ages, making it a locational or geographical surname. Over centuries and movement of people, the name has been spelled in various ways including Murray, Moray, Murrey, and others. It highlights the roots of the family that holds the surname and their historical link to the area of Moray. The surname might also be related to the ancient Pictish kingdom of Moray. The Murrey clan was influential, producing several significant historical figures like Earl of Moray and the Duke of Atholl. Note that, as with any surname, individual families may have specific, personal interpretations and histories related to their name. So, while this broad interpretation generally applies, individual family traditions and stories may also further shape the meaning of the surname Murrey.
Order DNA origin analysisMurrey: Where does the name Murrey come from?
The last name Murrey is widely found in many parts of the world today, though its origins are somewhat harder to trace. It is thought to have originated from the surname of MacMurrough, a noble family from Ireland. The MacMurroughs were a powerful and influential family in pre-Norman Ireland, and after the Norman conquest of Ireland, their name became shortened and changed into the more English-style form of 'Murrey'.
The largest concentrations of Murreys are found in the US and UK. It is most popular in the US states of Ohio, New York, California, and Maryland. In the UK, it is most prevalent in England, with the South West of England, London, and Wales also having a higher concentration.
In Australia, the number of Murreys is much lower but still present. Here the name is primarily concentrated in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales.
The last name Murrey is also found in other countries such as Canada, Ireland, France, South Africa, New Zealand, and Germany. In each of these countries it is usually most frequent in urban areas.
Today, the name is still seen as a fairly traditional one in many countries, though it does not have the same noble connections it once held. Nonetheless, Murrey is still a widespread and varied name.
Variations of the surname Murrey
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the Murrey surname include Murry, Murrie, Morrey, Morreye, Murreye, Murrye, Murrey, Murrie, Murri, Murreyy, Murie, Merrey, Morry, Merrie, Merri, Morri, Marry, Murryy, Merry, Murrye, Morrye, Marrey, Merreye, Marreye and Maury.
The Murreys are an old Anglo-Norman family with strong links to Normandy in France. They adopted the surname Murrey from the word mure, meaning wall or rampart. This is an indicator of their strong defensive nature and a reference to their ancestral home base near a walled structure.
The surname Murrey rarely appears in any other form other than Murrey, Murry or Morrey. It is likely that Murreys migrated to various countries, resulting in the many different spellings of their surname. It is possible that the spellings are a result of the regional accents and dialects of the local inhabitants where they settled. It may also indicate the acceptability of spellings in different countries during the times when the Murreys left their original settlements.
In Scotland and Ireland, the Murreys also assumed the near anglicized form Murray. There the word Morry became a popular variant spelling and can be found in records and documents. In England, spellings found was Murrey, Morrey, Murry and Murree. In Wales, the favoured spelling was Merrey.
Various Irish families also bore the same surname. Across Scotland and Ireland, it mutated into Murraine, Morrian, Muryn, Morain, Murion, Maurin and Morrin. It is also likely that other spellings exist across other countries depending on where Murreys have settled since their historical origins.
Famous people with the name Murrey
1.Kelsey Murrey: a professional American soccer player who currently plays for the Washington Spirit of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). 2.Theodore Pelatiah Murrey: a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania. 3.Marty Murray: a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several different teams. 4.Auston Murrey: a Jamaican professional soccer player for Montego Bay United. 5.Ryan Murray: a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). 6.Catherine Murrey: an American artist who specializes in wire fabric installations and public art. 7.David Murrey: a retired professional basketball player who was drafted by the Toronto Raptors in 2000. 8.Adam Murrey: a foundation coach at Vancouver Whitecaps FC, working with youth players. 9.Homero Murrey: a Venezuelan violinist and composer. 10.Christina Murrey: a professional surfer and action sports host.