Show ContentsMurrow 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 Murrow is Mac Murchadha.

Early Origins of the Murrow family

The surname Murrow 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 Murrow family

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

Murrow Spelling Variations

The Middle Ages saw a great number of spelling variations for surnames common to the Irish landscape. One reason for these variations is the fact that surnames were not rigidly fixed by this period. The following variations for the name Murrow were encountered in the archives: McMorough, McMorogh, McMorrough, McMurrer and others.

Early Notables of the Murrow family

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

Murrow Ranking

In the United States, the name Murrow is the 15,400th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Murrow migration to the United States +

Death and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name Murrow:

Murrow Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • James, Jonas, and Neile Murrow were deported to Boston by Cromwell in 1651
  • James Murrow, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1651 2
  • Jonas Murrow, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1651 2
  • Neile Murrow, who landed in America in 1652 2
  • John Murrow, who landed in Massachusetts in 1652 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Murrow migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Murrow Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Henry Murrow, aged 38, a painter, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874
  • Sarah Murrow, aged 38, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874
  • Harriet F. Murrow, aged 11, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874
  • Margaret Murrow, aged 8, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874
  • Charles Murrow, aged 7, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1874
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Murrow (post 1700) +

  • Edward Roscoe Murrow KBE (1908-1965), born Egbert Roscoe Murrow, an American journalist and newscaster, who is regarded as the father of broadcast journalism and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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