| ![Show Contents]() Murff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of MurffWhat does the name Murff mean? A family of Strathclyde-Briton were the first to use the name Murff. They lived in the place called Moffatt, in Scotland. The place-name is derived from the Gaelic words magh and fada, which mean field and long. Hence, the surname Murff means, from the long field. Early Origins of the Murff familyThe surname Murff was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), a Southern area, bordering on England that today forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area, at Annandale where the first on record was Nicholas de Mufet who began his life as a simple cleric and was first recorded as witness to a charter by Walter, bishop of Glasgow, some time before 1232. Approximately twenty years later, in 1250, he was made Archdeacon of Theuidale and eventually, in 1268, he was made Bishop of Glasgow. After only two years of holding the position of bishop, he died, in the year 1270. 1 Early History of the Murff familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Murff research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1348, 1467, 1553, 1604, 1795, 1815, 1870, 1883 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Murff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Murff Spelling VariationsIn the era before dictionaries, there were no rules governing the spelling or translation of names or any other words. Consequently, there are an enormous number of spelling variations in Medieval Scottish names. Murff has appeared as Moffatt, Maffat, Maffett, Maffet, Moffat, Moffet, Moffett, Moffert, Moffertt, Moffit, Moffitt, Merphet, Merphett, Merfet, Merfett, Murphat, Murphatt, Murphet, Murphett, Muffat, Muffatt, Muffett, Muffet, Muffit and many more. Early Notables of the Murff familyNotable amongst the family at this time was Thomas Muffet (also Moufet, Mouffet, or Moffet) (1553-1604), an English naturalist and physician, best known for his Puritan beliefs, his study of insects in regard to medicine; and Robert Moffat (1795-1883). Starting off as a gardener, he decided to become a missionary...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Murff Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Murff RankingIn the United States, the name Murff is the 18,070th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2 Migration of the Murff family to IrelandSome of the Murff family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Murff familyThe freedom, opportunity, and land of the North American colonies beckoned. There, Scots found a place where they were generally free from persecution and where they could go on to become important players in the birth of new nations. Some fought in the American War of Independence, while others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these Scottish settlers have been able to recover their lost national heritage in the last century through highland games and Clan societies in North America. Among them: Jean Moffat who settled in New Jersey in 1685; Thomas Moffatt settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1712; William Moffert settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1880.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Murff (post 1700) | + |
- Walton Murff Stephens (b. 1893), American politician, Member of South Carolina State House of Representatives from Abbeville County, 1953-56; Member of South Carolina State Senate from Abbeville County, 1959-62 3
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