Origin
Muir : Scottish: topographic name for someone who lived on a moor from Older Scots muir ‘moor’ (an expanse of bare wild upland country). There has been some confusion with Mure.
Halloran : Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hAllmhuráin ‘descendant of Allmhurán’ a personal name from a diminutive of allmhurach ‘foreigner’ (from all ‘beyond’ + muir ‘sea’).
Kelman : 1: Scottish: habitational name from Kelman Hill in Cabrach (partly Aberdeenshire partly Banffshire). The placename is perhaps from Gaelic caol ‘narrow’ + monadh ‘hill muir upland grazing’.2: Americanized form of German Kellmann (see Kellman).3: Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the male personal name Kelman a variant of Kalman.
Kinmond : from any of several places named with Gaelic ceann + monadh ‘head or end of a muir an upland area a hill’ for example Kinmont in Methven (Perths) Kinmonth in Glenbervie (Kirkcudbrights) or Kinmonth in Rhynd (Perths). Written forms apparently having three syllables such as Kinnemont are sometimes perhaps for Kinninmonth (which has a similar but not identical origin) especially in Fife.
Kinninmonth : from either of two places in Fife called Kinninmonth named with Gaelic ceann + fionn + monadh ‘head of the white muir upland hill’. The name is stressed on the second syllable.
Longmuir : Scottish: habitational name from Longmuir in Aberdeenshire or High and Laigh Langmuir in Ayrshire both named with Older Scots lang ‘long’ + muir ‘moor’.
McCurdy : Scottish and Irish (Antrim): Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Mhuircheartaich or Mac Mhuircheartaigh a patronymic from Muircheartach a personal name composed of the elements muir ‘sea’ + ceartach ‘ruler’ hence ‘skilled seaman’. See also McCord 1 and compare Moriarty.
McMorrow : Irish:: 1: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Muireadhaigh ‘son of Muireadhach’ a personal name meaning ‘seafarer’. See also McMurray.2: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Murchadha a patronymic from the personal name Murchadh ‘sea warrior’ from muir ‘sea’ + cath ‘battle’. In Leinster this name is usually Anglicized as McMurrough and in Ulster as Murphy.
McMurchie : from Mac Murchaidh a patronymic from the personal name Murchadh from muir ‘sea’ + cath ‘battle’. Compare Scottish Murchison Irish Murphy and McMurrough.
McMurphy : Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Murchadha a patronymic from the personal name Murchadh ‘sea warrior’ from muir ‘sea’ + cath ‘battle’. Compare Murphy McMorrow McMurdo.
McMurtry : Irish (northern) and Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Muircheartaigh (Scottish Gaelic Mac Muircheartaigh) ‘son of Muircheartach’ a personal name meaning ‘navigator’ from muir ‘sea’ + ceartach ‘ruler’. This modern form of an Irish and Scottish surname with many variants has an additional r in the final syllable. Compare McMurdo and Moriarty.
McNamara : Irish and Manx: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Conmara a patronymic from Cú Mhara a personal name composed of the elements cú ‘hound’ + muir (genitive mara) ‘sea’.
Merrigan : Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Muireagáin ‘descendant of Muireagán’ a personal name derived from muir ‘sea’. Compare Morgan with which this name has been confused.
Moriarty : Irish (Kerry): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Muircheartaigh ‘descendant of Muircheartach’ a personal name from muir ‘sea’ + ceardach ‘skilled’ i.e. ‘skilled navigator’. A Meath and Monaghan name of the same form in Irish is Anglicized as Murtagh comparable to Scottish Murdoch. It may also be a shortened form of Gaelic Mac Muircheartaigh ‘son of Muircheartach’ see McMurdie.
Morley : 1: English: habitational name from any of various places called Morley (for example in Derbyshire County Durham Norfolk and Yorkshire) or Moreleigh in Devon all of which are named from Old English mōr ‘moor’ + lēah ‘woodland clearing’.2: Irish (Mayo): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Murghaile ‘descendant of Murghal’ a personal name based on muir ‘sea’ + gal ‘valour’.3: Irish (Mayo): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Murthuile ‘descendant of Murthuile’ a personal name derived from muir ‘sea’ + tuile ‘tide’.
Muirden : from Muirden near Turriff (Aberdeens). The place-name is from Old Scots muir ‘moor’ + den ‘valley’.
Muirhead : Scottish: habitational name from any of the places in southern Scotland so called from Older Scots muir ‘moor’ + heid ‘head end’.
Murchie : Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Mhurchaidh a patronymic from the personal name Murchadh from muir ‘sea’ + cath ‘battle’. Compare Scottish Murchison Irish Murphy and McMurrough.
Murdoch : Scottish: from an Anglicized form of the Gaelic personal names Muireadhach ‘mariner’ Murchadh ‘sea-warrior’ and Muircheartach ‘sea-ruler’ the first element in each being muir ‘sea’. The personal name was introduced into Yorkshire and Normandy by Norsemen from Ireland as early as the 10th century. The surname in post-Conquest medieval England usually belongs to Norman families.
Murphy : 1: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Murchadha ‘descendant of Murchadh’ a personal name composed of the elements muir ‘sea’ + cath ‘battle’ i.e. ‘sea warrior’. This was an important family in Tyrone. For the surname with mac see also McMurrough (Leinster).2: English: variant of Morphey (see Morphew).
Murrin : 2: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Muireáin ‘descendant of Muireán’ which is probably a diminutive of a personal name beginning with muir ‘sea’.1: English (Devon): variant of Morrin.3: Irish: variant of Moran.
O'Halloran : Irish (Limerick and Clare): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó hAllmhuráin ‘descendant of Allmhurán’ a personal name from a diminutive of allmhurach ‘foreigner’ (from all ‘beyond’ + muir ‘sea’). See Halloran.
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Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
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