Murray
The origin of the surname Murray
Murray comes from the region of Moray, “settlement by the sea.”
What kind of surname is Murray?
As a toponymic (locational) surname, the surname Murray originally described where its bearer lived or came from — a village, region, landscape feature or landmark. When people moved from one place to another, neighbours often identified the newcomer by their place of origin, and that association became a lasting family name. Some toponymic surnames name a specific town or county; others describe the local terrain, such as a hill, wood, field, ford or bridge beside which a family lived. These names are a kind of map of migration and settlement, recording where earlier generations put down roots.
How Scottish surnames work
Scottish surnames come from several roots: Gaelic patronymics using “Mac” (“son of”), Lowland and Border names, Norse-influenced names in the isles, and the famous clan system, in which many unrelated families adopted a chief's surname. Locational and occupational names appear too. As with Irish names, anglicisation reshaped many spellings over the centuries.
Frequently asked questions
What does the surname Murray mean?
The surname Murray means From Moray. Murray comes from the region of Moray, “settlement by the sea.”
Where does the surname Murray come from?
Murray is a surname of Scottish origin.
What kind of surname is Murray?
Murray is a toponymic surname, originally describing where the bearer lived or came from.
How common is the surname Murray in the United States?
Murray is the 123rd most common surname in the United States (2010 U.S. Census), recorded for about 178,414 people.