The Murray Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of Murray, its origins in Ireland, and the story behind a Murray family crest.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Murray coat of arms for you.
Origin of the Murray name
Murray in Ireland mainly anglicizes Ó Muireadhaigh, "descendant of Muireadhach", a personal name built on muir, "sea", often read as seaman or sea-lord. Prominent septs lived in Roscommon and Galway, with other families in Cork, Leitrim and Down. In Ulster many Murrays also descend from Scottish settlers of Moray.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Murray name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Murray name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, Scotland and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Murray family history
The complete Murray pack goes much further: documented origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
Murray name FAQ
What does the Murray name mean?
Descendant of Muireadhach, "sea-lord". Common variants include Murry, O'Murray, MacMurray.
Where does the Murray surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, Scotland and Australia.
Is there a Murray coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Murray crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Murray coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).