Contents [hide]

Murphy History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Sources

Murphy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland-Alt
Ireland

Etymology of Murphy

What does the name Murphy mean?

Many of the oldest Irish surnames were originally in the Gaelic language native to Ireland. The original Gaelic form of the name Murphy is Ó Murchadha or Mac Murchadha, which are both derived from the word "murchadh," meaning "sea warrior."

Early Origins of the Murphy family

The surname Murphy was first found in County Wexford (Irish: Loch Garman), founded by Vikings as Waesfjord, and located in Southeastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster, where they held a family seat from very early times.

Early History of the Murphy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Murphy research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1127, 1172, 1650, 1716 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Murphy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Murphy Spelling Variations

Irish names were rarely spelled consistently in the Middle Ages. Spelling variations of the name Murphy dating from that time include Murphy, Morchoe, O'Murphy, Murfie, Murfree, Morfie, Morfey and many more.

Early Notables of the Murphy family

Notable among the family name at this time was

Garret Murphy (c. 1650-1716), (Morphey) an Irish painter in Dublin

Murphy World Ranking

In the United States, the name Murphy is the 59^th most popular surname with an estimated 290,979 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Murphy is ranked the 51^st most popular surname with an estimated 38,061 people with that name. 2 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Murphy is the 733^rd popular surname. 3 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Murphy as 7^th with 1,146 people. 4 Australia ranks Murphy as 44^th with 41,693 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Murphy as 88^th with 4,295 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Murphy as 67^th with 67,818 people. 7

Murphy migration to the United States +

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the Murphy family relocated to North American shores quite early:

Murphy Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Abraham Murphy, who settled in Maryland in 1674
Abraham Murphy, who arrived in Maryland in 1674 8
Daniel Murphy, who settled in Maryland in 1678
Edmund Murphy, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 8
Howard Murphy, who landed in Maryland in 1678 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Murphy Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Edward Murphy, who settled in Boston in 1766
Dennis Murphy, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1766
Eleanor Murphy, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1767 8
Ann Murphy, who settled in Philadelphia in 1773

Murphy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Francis Murphy, who settled in New York in 1803
Arthur Murphy, who settled in Philadelphia in 1804
Arthur Murphy, aged 49, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 8
Philip Murphy, aged 22, who arrived in Maryland in 1812 8
Peter Murphy, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1813 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Murphy Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Thomas Murphy, (b. 1877), aged 23, Cornish miner, from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 14th January 1900 en route to Red Jacket, Michigan, USA 9
Henrique Murphy, who arrived in Alabama in 1927 8

Murphy migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Murphy Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

James Murphy, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1750
Mr. Duke Murphy U.E. who settled in Westmoreland County, New Brunswick c. 1783 was a passenger aboard "Cyrus" on August 21, 1783 from New York to Saint John River 10
Mrs. Elizabeth Murphy U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1783 was a passenger aboard "Cyrus" on August 21, 1783 from New York to Saint John River 10
Mr. Luke Murphy U.E. who settled in Parr Town, Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1783 10
Mr. Timothy Murphy U.E. who settled in Home District [York County], Ontario c. 1784 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Murphy Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Anne Murphy, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1803
Gerald Murphy, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1806
Bridget Murphy, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1831
Ellen Murphy, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1831
David Murphy, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1832
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Murphy migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Murphy Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. Hugh Murphy, (b. 1759), aged 34, irish baker who was convicted in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Boddingtons" on 15th February 1793, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1820 11
Mr. Patrick Murphy, (Edward), (b. 1762), aged 31, Irish convict who was convicted in Antrim, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Boddingtons" on 15th February 1793, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11

Murphy Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Murphy, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
Miss Alice Murphy, (b. 1760), aged 53, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Catherine" on 8th December 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Miss Alice Murphy, (b. 1796), aged 17, Irish servant who was convicted in Kilkenny, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Catherine" on 8th December 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Miss Mary Murphy, (b. 1790), aged 23, Irish convict who was convicted in Cork, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Catherine" on 8th December 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Miss Catherine Murphy, English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Broxbournebury" in January 1814, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Murphy migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Murphy Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Murphy, Australian settler travelling from Hobart, Tasmania, Australia aboard the ship "Bee" arriving in New Zealand in 1831 15
Mr. Cornelius Murphy, Cornish settler travelling from Launceston, UK aboard the ship "Brazil Packet" arriving in New Zealand in 1836 15
Miss Mary Margaret Murphy, (b. 1820), aged 20, British sempstress travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 15
Miss Partick Murphy, (b. 1814), aged 26, British labourer travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 15
Mrs. Catherine Murphy, (b. 1816), aged 24, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Murphy (post 1700) +

James W. Murphy (1936-2025), American soccer player, member of the St. Louis Kutis in the mid-1950s, he earned two caps, scoring one goal, with the United States national team in 1957
Walter Leonard Murphy (1937-2025), American jurist in New Hampshire
Mary Murphy (1931-2011), Emmy award-winning American actress of stage, film, and television
Mary Catherine Murphy (1939-2024), American politician, Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives (1977-2023)
John Reginald Murphy (1934-2024), usually known as Reg Murphy, American publisher and business executive
Tamara Murphy (d. 2024), American chef and owner of the restaurant Terra Plata in Seattle, Food & Wine named her Best New Chef in 1994, winner of the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef in the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii in 1995
William Eugene "Billy" Murphy (1944-2024), American Major League Baseball outfielder who played in 84 games for the New York Mets in 1966
Paula Murphy (1928-2023), American automobile driver, the first woman to drive a jet-engined car on the Salt Flats, first woman licensed to drive a nitromethane-fueled car
Edward Regan "Eddie" Murphy (b. 1961), American Golden Globe winning and Academy Award nominated stand-up comedian, actor, writer, singer, director, and musician, recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2023
Harold Lloyd Murphy (1927-2022), American jurist, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (1977-2022)
... (Another 68 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Murphy family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. William Bristow Murphy, British Trimmer from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 16
Mr. Jack Murphy (d. 1914), British Assistant Steward from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 16
Mr. Peter Murphy, British Leading Fireman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 16
Mr. John Murphy, British Quartermaster from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 16

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Eliza Murphy (1857-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17
Mr. Martin E. Murphy (1860-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 17
Mr. John Murphy (1862-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17
Mr. Patrick Murphy (1864-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17
Mrs. Mary A. Murphy (1870-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 17
... (Another 7 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood

Mr. Frank E Murphy (b. 1920), English Stoker 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Eastbourne, Sussex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 18

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. George Albert Murphy, British Gun Commander, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 19

HMS Repulse

Mr. Arthur Quirk Murphy (b. 1918), British Stoker 1st Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 20
Mr. John Anthony Murphy (b. 1923), British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 20

HMS Royal Oak

Thomas Murphy (1919-1939), British Stoker 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 21
Peter Murphy (1922-1939), British Boy Signalman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 21

Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie)

Mary Geraldine Murphy (1937-1988), English Purser from Middlesex, England, who flew aboard the Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit, known as the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and died 22

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Dennis Murphy, English Fireman from England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 23
Mr. Matthew Murphy, Irish Fireman from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 23
Mr. James Murphy, Irish Fireman from Swords, Dublin, Ireland, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 23
Mr. John Henry Murphy, English First Waiter from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 23

RMS Titanic

Miss Nora Murphy, aged 34, Irish Third Class passenger from Dublin who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 16 24
Miss Catherine "Kate" Murphy, aged 18, Irish Third Class passenger from Aghnacliffe, Longford who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 16 24
Miss Margaret Jane "Maggie/Mary" Murphy, aged 25, Irish Third Class passenger from Fostragh, Longford who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 16 24

SS Atlantic

Bridget Murphy, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Child Murphy, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
James Murphy, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Mary Murphy, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
Patrick Murphy, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
... (Another 2 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

USS Arizona

Mr. Thomas J. Murphy Jr., American Storekeeper First Class from Virginia, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 25
Mr. James Joseph Murphy, American Seaman First Class from Arizona, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 25
Mr. James Palmer Murphy, American Fireman Third Class from Ohio, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 25
Mr. Jessie Huell Murphy, American Seaman First Class from Louisiana, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 25

USS Indianapolis

Allen Murphy, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 26
Charles Thomas Murphy, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 26
Paul James Murphy (1924-2016), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he survived the sinking 26

The Murphy Motto +

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: Fortis et hospitalis
Motto Translation: Brave and hospitable.

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/boddingtons
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
Convict Records of Australia (Retreived 2nd January 2021, retreived from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/catherine
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/broxbournebury
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Pan Am Flight 103's victims: A list of those killed 25 years ago | syracuse.com. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/pan_am_flight_103s_victims_a_list_of_those_killed_25_years_ago.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew