Murrish Surname History

Origins Available:
Scotland

The Dalriadan clans of ancient Scotland spawned the ancestors of the Murrish family. Their name comes from the Gaelic name Muiredachus, meaning "belonging to the sea, a mariner," fro which also coes the more common and quite distinct name Murdoch.

Early Origins of the Murrish family

The surname Murrish was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Murrish family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Murrish research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1485 and 1845 are included under the topic Early Murrish History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Murrish Spelling Variations

The medieval practice of spelling according to sound and repeated translation between Gaelic and English created many spelling variations of the same name. Murrish has been recorded as MacVurrich, MacVurich, MacVarish, MacVarrais, MacVarrich, MacWirriche, MacVorist, MacVorish, MacMorice, MacNuirighe and many more.

Early Notables of the Murrish family

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

Murrish migration to the United States +

Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Murrish, or a variant listed above:

Murrish Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Charles Murrish, (b. 1868), aged 31, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th December 1899 en route to Montana, USA 1
Mr. Charles Murrish, (b. 1896), aged 3, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th December 1899 en route to Montana, USA 1
Miss Evelyn Murrish, (b. 1891), aged 8, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th December 1899 en route to Montana, USA 1
Mrs. Susan Murrish, (b. 1868), aged 31, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "St Louis" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th December 1899 en route to Montana, USA 1

Murrish 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:

Murrish Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mary Murrish, aged 40, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
Mary Murrish, aged 16, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
Nicholas Murrish, aged 13, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
Annie Murrish, aged 12, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
Charlotte Murrish, aged 10, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1876
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Murrish 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: Omine secundo
Motto Translation: With favourable omen.

Citations +

Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf