McMurray
A Scottish and Irish surname meaning “son of Murray,” with a likely link to the broader Murray/Moray name family.
The #3,613 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 31,428 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McMurray is a Gaelic patronymic formed with Mac/Mc, meaning “son of,” plus Murray. In many cases, Murray is understood as a surname derived from the place-name Moray in northeast Scotland, though some Irish lines may reflect a different Gaelic family history. The name therefore most often means “son of Murray” rather than a separate occupational or descriptive term.
History
The surname appears in both Scottish and Irish records, and its spelling varies widely across sources and families. In Scottish usage it is closely connected with the Murray/Moray surname tradition, while in Ireland it can occur as an Anglicized form of Gaelic family names shaped into McMurray or related spellings. Modern bearers are most common in the English-speaking diaspora, especially in North America and Britain.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Old surname dictionaries often list McMurray alongside forms like MacMurray and MacKilmurray, showing how fluid Gaelic surnames could be in spelling and recordkeeping.
From the historical record
“triAC 51 oil A riluiiie, Macll- murray, MacElmurray, Mac Kilmurray, MacMurray, Kil- murry, Kilmary, Kilmore, Gil- more, Gilmour, Gilmor, Gil- mer, Murry, Murray. mAC 510IIA riA riAoni, Mac”
— Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish names and surnames