| ![Show Contents]() Moray History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of MorayWhat does the name Moray mean? The Pictish clans of ancient Scotland were the ancestors of the first people to use the name Moray. It comes from in the county of Moray in the northeast of Scotland, but some historians describe the Clan's forbears as originally Flemish, some as Lowland Scots. More enlightened research places them as descendents of MacAngus de Moravia, who was descended from King Duncan of Scotland and who was the first Earl of Murray. Moray Coat of Arms Creation In the course of time there was no heir male to succeed to the earldom; only a daughter -who married a Murray, William, the second Earl of Tullibardine. This Tullibardine was appointed Hereditary Sheriff of Perthshire in 1600 for rescuing the King at Perth from the attempt of the Earl of Gowrie; and Charles I. revived the Earldom of Atholl in the issue of this Countess of Tullibardine. Thus the original Stewart crest became the crest of the Murrays. In 1893 the name was changed from Athole to the original Atholl. There are no fewer than 63 branches of the Murrays showing their own crests and mottoes. A mermaid with a comb in her right hand and in the left a mirror is the crest of several branches, and the motto, " Tout pret" (Quite ready) Early Origins of the Moray familyThe surname Moray was first found in Moray, where the Clan founder, Freskin, received a grant of the lands of Strathbrock in 1100 AD. He was descended from the first Earl, and his grandson, William, married the heiress of the Bothwell Clan in Lanarkshire. His sons founded many other houses, including the Murrays of Tullibardine, who later became the Dukes of Atholl, and Chiefs of the Clan. At the same time, an early branch in the north had given origin to the Earls of Sutherland. Andrew Moray (died 1297) also known as Andrew de Moray, Andrew of Moray, or Andrew Murray, was prominent in the Scottish Wars of Independence. He led the rising in north Scotland in the summer of 1297 against the occupation by King Edward I of England. He was mortally wounded in the fighting at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Early History of the Moray familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moray research. Another 596 words (43 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1170, 1203, 1255, 1297, 1320, 1333, 1360, 1446, 1586, 1598, 1600, 1608, 1629, 1631, 1640, 1650, 1655, 1660, 1663, 1673, 1691, 1701, 1703, 1710, 1715, 1716, 1719, 1724, 1734, 1745, 1765 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Moray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Moray Spelling VariationsTranslation has done much to alter the appearance of many Scottish names. It was a haphazard process that lacked a basic system of rules. Spelling variations were a common result of this process. Moray has appeared Murray, Murrey, Moray, Morey, Morrey, Morry, Murry, MacMhuirich (Gaelic) and many more. Early Notables of the Moray familyNotable amongst the Clan at this time was - Sir Robert Moray (Murrey, Murray) (1608-1673), a Scottish soldier, statesman, diplomat, judge, spy, freemason and natural philosopher
Migration of the Moray family to IrelandSome of the Moray family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Moray migration to the United States | + |
Many Scots left their country to travel to the North American colonies in search of the freedom they could not find at home. Of those who survived the difficult voyage, many found the freedom they so desired. There they could choose their own beliefs and allegiances. Some became United Empire Loyalists and others fought in the American War of Independence. The Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up in the last century have allowed many of these disparate Scots to recover their collective national identity. A search of immigration and passenger ship lists revealed many early settlers bearing the Moray name:
Moray Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- John Moray, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Moray (post 1700) | + |
- Thomas Henry Moray (1892-1974), American inventor, known for his work on nuclear batteries
- Louise Moray, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives from Wayne County 1st District, 1946 2
- Stella Moray (1923-2006), English stage, film and television character actress
- John Moray Stuart-Young (1881-1939), English Uranian poet, memoirist, novelist and merchant trader
- Jim Moray, born Douglas Oates, an English folk singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer, recipient of the Album of the Year Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2004
- Ann Moray (1909-1981), Welsh singer and novelist
- Moray Tawse, Canadian vinier, founder of Tawse Winery, Vineland, Ontario
- Moray Watson (1928-2017), English actor
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: Tout Prêt
Motto Translation: Quite ready.
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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