Murray
A Scottish and Irish surname that can point either to the region of Moray in Scotland or to Gaelic personal names meaning a sea-related protector.
The #136 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 1,670 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Murray has more than one traditional origin. In Scotland, it is commonly linked to Moray, the historic province in the northeast, from Gaelic forms meaning something like 'sea-field' or 'marsh land.' It is also connected in Irish and Scottish Gaelic sources with personal names such as Muiredach or Murchadh, often explained as meaning 'sea protector' or a related sea-born warrior name. Over time, these sources blended in surname tradition, so Murray may be locational in some families and patronymic in others.
History
The name became especially prominent through the powerful Scottish house and clan associated with Moray and later Sutherland. It spread widely in Scotland and then throughout the English-speaking world, especially during periods of migration from Scotland and Ireland. In Irish usage, Murray often represents anglicized Gaelic forms such as O'Muiredhaigh, which adds to the surname’s multiple lines of origin.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname dictionaries already noted that Murray can be read in more than one way, which is one reason the name has long been treated as a classic 'multiple-origin' surname.
From the historical record
“a good change. — Joyce. MURRAY \ (Celt.) i iox Mor{r)ogh,3.conXr. form MURREY J of (a) Mu{i)readhack : v. Murdoch; (6) Murchadh: v. Murphy. 2 Bel. to Moray or to Morrach (Scot- land) = the Sea-Field or Marsh [Gael, (and Ir.) murmhagh {mh mute) — mu{i}r, sea -f the asp. form of magh, a fiel^, plain] MURRELL MURRILL”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)