Murphy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  Ireland-Alt 
  Ireland 


Many of the oldest Irish surnames were originally in the Gaelic language native to Ireland. The original Gaelic form of the name Murphy is Ó Murchadha or Mac Murchadha, which are both derived from the word "murchadh," meaning "sea warrior."

Early Origins of the Murphy family

The surname Murphy 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 Murphy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Murphy research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1127, 1172, 1650, 1716 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Murphy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Murphy Spelling Variations

Irish names were rarely spelled consistently in the Middle Ages. Spelling variations of the name Murphy dating from that time include Murphy, Morchoe, O'Murphy, Murfie, Murfree, Morfie, Morfey and many more.

Early Notables of the Murphy family

Notable among the family name at this time was

Murphy World Ranking

In the United States, the name Murphy is the 59th most popular surname with an estimated 290,979 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Murphy is ranked the 51st most popular surname with an estimated 38,061 people with that name. 2 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Murphy is the 733rd popular surname. 3 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Murphy as 7th with 1,146 people. 4 Australia ranks Murphy as 44th with 41,693 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Murphy as 88th with 4,295 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Murphy as 67th with 67,818 people. 7


Murphy migration to the United States +

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 Murphy family relocated to North American shores quite early:

Murphy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Murphy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Murphy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Murphy Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Murphy migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Murphy Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Murphy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Murphy migration to Australia +

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

Murphy Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Murphy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Murphy 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:

Murphy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Murphy (post 1700) +


The Murphy 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: Fortis et hospitalis
Motto Translation: Brave and hospitable.


Suggested Readings for the name Murphy +
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