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![Show Contents]() Murfrey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Ireland
Many of the oldest Irish surnames were originally in the Gaelic language native to Ireland. The original Gaelic form of the name Murfrey is Ó Murchadha or Mac Murchadha, which are both derived from the word "murchadh," meaning "sea warrior." Early Origins of the Murfrey familyThe surname Murfrey was first found in County Wexford (Irish: Loch Garman), founded by Vikings as Waesfjord, and located in Southeastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from very early times. Early History of the Murfrey familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Murfrey research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1127, 1172, 1650, 1716 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Murfrey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Murfrey Spelling VariationsThe recording of names in Ireland during the Middle Ages was an inconsistent endeavor at best. Since the general population did not know how to read or write, they could only specify how their names should be recorded orally. Research into the name Murfrey revealed spelling variations, including Murphy, Morchoe, O'Murphy, Murfie, Murfree, Morfie, Morfey and many more. Early Notables of the Murfrey familyAnother 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Murfrey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Murfrey migration to the United States | + |
Irish families left their homeland in astonishing numbers during the 19th century in search of a better life. Although individual reasons vary, most of these Irish families suffered from extreme poverty, lack of work opportunities, and exorbitant rents in their homeland. Many decided to travel to Australia or North America in the hopes of finding greater opportunities and land. The Irish immigrants that came to North America initially settled on the East Coast, often in major centers such as Boston or New York. But like the many other cultures to settle in North America, the Irish traveled to almost any region they felt held greater promise; as a result, many Irish with gold fever moved all the way out to the Pacific coast. Others before that time left for land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula, or the Maritimes as United Empire Loyalists, for many Irish did choose to side with the English during the American War of Independence. The earliest wave of Irish migration, however, occurred during the Great Potato Famine of the 1840s. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists has revealed many people bearing the Murfrey name:
Murfrey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Thomas Murfrey, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 1
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: Fortis et hospitalis
Motto Translation: Brave and hospitable.
- 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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Murfrey migration to the United States 
