Show ContentsMcMorrough History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The original Gaelic versions of today's Irish names demonstrate a proud, ancient past. The original Gaelic form of the name McMorrough is Mac Murchadha.

Early Origins of the McMorrough family

The surname McMorrough was first found in Leinster, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Diarmait Mac Murchada, (c. 1110-1171), Anglicized Dermot MacMurrough, Dermod MacMurrough, Dermot MacMorrogh or Dermot MacMorrow, was a King of Leinster in Ireland. He was son of Donnchad mac Murchada, King of Leinster and Dublin.

Early History of the McMorrough family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McMorrough research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1172 is included under the topic Early McMorrough History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McMorrough Spelling Variations

Pronunciation, rather than spelling, guided scribes and church officials when recording names during the Middle Ages. This practice often resulted in one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname McMorrough are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include McMorough, McMorogh, McMorrough, McMurrer and others.

Early Notables of the McMorrough family

More information is included under the topic Early McMorrough Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the McMorrough family

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the McMorrough family relocated to North American shores quite early: James McMorrow, Henry McMorrow and John McMorrow, who were all on record arriving in New York in 1804; as well as Denis McMorrow, who came to St. John, New Brunswick in 1842..



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