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McMurray History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

McMurray History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The McMurray surname in Ireland is an Anglicization of two different Gaelic names: Ó Muireadhaigh, and Mac Muireadhaigh.

Early Origins of the McMurray family

The surname McMurray was first found in County Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the McMurray family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McMurray research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1450 and 1771 are included under the topic Early McMurray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McMurray Spelling Variations

People who were accounted for by scribes and church officials often had their name recorded many different ways because pronunciation was the only guide those scribes and church officials had to go by. This resulted in the problem of one person's name being recorded under several different variations, creating the illusion of more than one person. Among the many spelling variations of the surname McMurray that are preserved in archival documents are McMurray, O'Murry, McMurry, Mulmurry, Murray and others.

Early Notables of the McMurray family

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

McMurray Ranking

In the United States, the name McMurray is the 3,442^nd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1

McMurray migration to the United States +

A great mass of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century, seeking relief from various forms of social, religious, and economic discrimination. This Irish exodus was primarily to North America. If the migrants survived the long ocean journey, many unfortunately would find more discrimination in the colonies of British North America and the fledgling United States of America. These newly arrived Irish were, however, wanted as a cheap source of labor for the many large agricultural and industrial projects that were essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the western world. Early immigration and passenger lists indicate many people bearing the McMurray name:

McMurray Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John McMurray, one of the Scotch-Irish, who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1772
John McMurray, who arrived in South Carolina in 1772 2

McMurray Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Archibald McMurray, who landed in America in 1801 2
Samuel McMurray, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1802 2
Henry McMurray, who landed in America in 1810 2
Alex McMurray, who settled in New York city in 1811
Alexander McMurray, aged 27, who arrived in Rhode Island in 1812 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McMurray migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McMurray Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Biddy McMurray, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Robert Burns" in 1834
John McMurray, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Robert Burns" in 1834
Patrick McMurray, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Robert Burns" in 1834
Alice McMurray, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Robert Burns" in 1834
Thomas McMurray, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Robert Burns" in 1834
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McMurray migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

McMurray Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert McMurray, British convict who was convicted in Corfu for life, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 2nd November 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
Miss Janet Mcmurray, (b. 1827), aged 19, Scottish needle woman who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years for theft, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 22nd January 1846, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4
Eliza McMurray, aged 20, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "David Malcolm" 5
Mary McMurray, aged 28, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Northern Light" 6
Joseph McMurray, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Lismoyne"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McMurray 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:

McMurray Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Samuel Mcmurray, (b. 1863), aged 7 months, Irish settler from County Down travelling from London aboard the ship "Tiptree" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 20th January 1864 7
Mrs. Bella Mcmurray, (b. 1838), aged 25, Irish settler from County Down travelling from London aboard the ship "Tiptree" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 20th January 1864 7
Mr. James Mcmurray, (b. 1838), aged 25, Irish joiner from County Down travelling from London aboard the ship "Tiptree" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 20th January 1864 7
Robert McMurray, aged 26, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ionic" in 1884

Contemporary Notables of the name McMurray (post 1700) +

Claudia A. McMurray, United States Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs from 2006 to 2009
William McMurray (1813-1868), American lawyer and politician, New York State Senator (1852-1853)
Howard Johnstone McMurray (1901-1961), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin (1943-1945)
Sam McMurray (b. 1952), American television, film and voice actor
James Christopher "Jamie" McMurray (b. 1976), professional American race car driver
H. A. McMurray, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1936, 1940 8
Frederick W. McMurray (b. 1871), American Republican politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Cape May County, 1928 8
Floyd I. McMurray, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Indiana 6th District, 1942 8
Ebenezer McMurray, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Washington County 1st District, 1854 8
Charles A. McMurray, American politician, Member of South Dakota State Senate 36th District, 1935-36 8
... (Another 28 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the McMurray family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Leonard Leathes Mcmurray, Canadian 1st Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 9

RMS Titanic

Mr. William Ernest McMurray (d. 1912), aged 43, English Bedroom Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 10

The McMurray Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Virtute fideque
Motto Translation: By virtue and faith.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th March 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
South Australian Register Wednesday 5th January 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) David Malcolm 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/davidmalcolm1854.shtml
South Australian Register Monday 9th April 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Norther Light 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/northernlight1855.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html