Murray ([] ) () is both a Scottish and an Irish surname with two distinct respective etymologies. The Scottish version is a common variation of the word Moray, an anglicisation of the Medieval Gaelic word Muireb (or Moreb); the b here was pronounced as v, hence the Latinization to Moravia. These names denote the district on the south shore of the Moray Firth, in Scotland. Murray is a direct transliteration of how Scottish people pronounce the word Moray. The Murray spelling is not used for the geographical area, which is Moray, but it became the commonest form of the surname, especially among Scottish emigrants, to the extent that the surname Murray is now much more common than the original surname Moray. See also Clan Murray.
In addition to the Scottish derivation, the Irish version may derive from Ó Muireadhaigh, Mac Muireadhaigh, and Mac Giolla Mhuire.
History A considerable number of present bearers of this surname are of Scottish origin, especially in Ulster. Possible etymologies are: From Moray in northeast Scotland, which came from the Scottish Gaelic for "sea settlement". As a native Irish of this name, from Mac Muireadhaigh or Ó Muireadhaigh "descendant of Muireadhach" or Mac Giolla Mhuire "descendant of the servant of the Virgin Mary".
The motto for Murray is Imperio. "Murrays" trace their heritage back to the 12th century and take their name from the province of Moray, once a local kingdom. It was during this time that the Flemish lords crossed the North Sea and established themselves in the Scottish realm. Among them was Freskin. It is possible that either Freskin or his son William intermarried with the ancient royal house of Moray. The senior line of the Murrays took the surname of Sutherland and became Earls of Sutherland by 1235.
Thereafter, the chiefs of the Murrays were the Lords of Petty in Moray, who also became Lords of Bothwell in Clydesdale before 1253. An heir of this line, Sir Andrew Moray, was the brilliant young general who led the Scots in 1297 in their first uprising against English rule. He was mortally wounded while winning his famous victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.
His son, Sir Andrew Murray, 4th Lord of Bothwell, third Regent of Scotland, married Christian Bruce, a sister of King Robert the Bruce. He was captured at Roxburgh early in 1333 and was a prisoner in England at the time of the Battle of Halidon Hill. He obtained his freedom in time to march to the relief of his wife, who was defending Kildrummy Castle. Sir Andrew commenced with unabated spirit to struggle in the cause of independence and died in 1338.
The last Murray Lord of Bothwell died in 1360 of the plague. By the 16th century, the Murrays of Tullibardine in Strathearn had assumed the leadership of the Murrays. This was formally confirmed by Bands of Association in 1586 and 1589.
Sir John became the 1st Earl of Tullibardine in 1606. Thus, the Tullibardine hegemony was firmly established among the Murrays; and George Iain Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl was also Marquis of Tullibardine as recognized in Lyon Register as Chief of the Murrays. The 2nd Earl of Tullibardine William Murray, 1574 circa – 1628, married Lady Dorothea Stewart, heiress of the Earls of Atholl in 1629 and Marquises from 1676. To their medieval peacock's head crest (motto-Praite), they added the mermaid (motto-Tout Pret), as Lords of Balquidder; and in the seventeenth century, they took the demi-savage holding a sword and a key commemorating the capture of the last Lord of the Isles by the 1st Stewart Earl of Atholl in 1475: hence the motto Furth, Fortune, and Fill the Fetters. (Go forth against your enemies, have good fortune, and return with hostages and booty).
Since 1703, the Murray's chiefs have been Dukes of Atholl. For a time in the 18th century, the Murray dukes were also Sovereign Lords of the Isle of Man, with their own coinage and parliament, The House of Keys. The 1st Duke's younger son, Lord George Murray, was the Jacobite general responsible for the highlander's successes through the early part of the 1745 uprising.
Much of the above information about the Murrays was taken from the book The Highland Clans, by Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk.
Lord George's descendant George Murray, 10th Duke of Atholl, died in February 1996. The new Duke of Atholl is John Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl, a South African. The new Duke has taken the chiefship of the Murrays.
People
Murray may refer to many people (see also Clan Murray):
A Aaron Murray (born 1990), American football player Adam Murray (born 1981), English footballer Adam Murray (died 1706), Irish Ulster Scots soldier known for the 1689 defence of Derry Al Murray (born 1968), comedian Albert Murray, including: Albert Murray (writer) (1916–2013), African-American literary and jazz critic, novelist and biographer Albert Murray, Baron Murray of Gravesend (1930–1980), British Labour Party politician, Member of Parliament 1964–1970 Bert Murray (born 1942), English football player Alexander Murray (1755–1821), U.S. Navy officer, Revolutionary War Alexander Murray (1816–1884), U.S. Navy officer, Mexican-American and American Civil Wars Alexander Murray (geologist) (1810–1884), Scottish geologist Alexander Murray (linguist) (1775–1813), linguist and professor at Edinburgh University Alexander Murray, 1st Baron Murray of Elibank (1870–1920) Alexander Murray, 6th Earl of Dunmore (1804–1845) Alexander Murray, 8th Earl of Dunmore (1871–1962) Alexander Borthwick Murray (1816–1903), South Australian colonist, pastoralist and parliamentarian Alexander Howison Murray Jr. (1907–1993), mayor of Placerville, California Alexander Hunter Murray (1818 or 1819–1874), a Hudson's Bay Company fur trader and artist Alexander Stuart Murray (1841–1904), archaeologist Aline Murray Kilmer (1888–1941), American poet Alison Murray, including Alison Murray (author), Scottish children's author Alison Murray (director), Canadian film and video director Alison Murray (scientist), American ecologist Allan Murray (disambiguation) Alma Murray, (1854–1945), English actress Andrew Murray, including: Sir Andrew Murray, Guardian of Scotland in 1332 and again from 1335 to 1338 Andrew Murray (naturalist) (1812–1878), Scottish lawyer and scientist Andrew Murray (Guyanese boxer) (1971–2002), Guyanese boxer of the 1990s and 2000s Andrew Murray (trade unionist) (born 1958), Chair of the Stop the War Coalition and former member of the Communist Party of Britain Andrew Murray (children's writer) (born 1970), English children's writer Andrew Murray (golfer) (born 1956), English golfer Andrew Murray (minister) (1828–1917), South African minister of religion, missionary, and author Andrew Murray (Australian politician) (born 1947), Australian politician, member of the Australian Senate Andrew Murray, 1st Viscount Dunedin (1849–1942) Andy Murray (ice hockey) (born 1951), Canadian ice hockey player, coach Sir Andy Murray (born 1987), Scottish tennis player Ann Murray (born 1949), Irish mezzo-soprano Anna Evans Murray (1857–1955), American advocate for early childhood education Anne Murray (born 1945), Canadian singer Anne Murray, Duchess of Atholl (1814–1897) Anton Murray (1922–1995), South African cricketer Antonio Murray (born 1984), English football player Antonio Murray (police officer) (born 1971), former Baltimore Police officer sentenced to 139 years in prison Archibald Murray Sir Archibald Murray, 3rd Baronet (d. before 1777), Scottish soldier Archibald Wright Murray (1811–1892) (Rev. A. W. Murray), missionary, see Coming of the Light Archibald Murray (1860–1945), British general Archibald R. Murray (1933–2001), African American lawyer Arnold Murray, including: Arnold Murray (pastor) (1929–2014), founder and pastor, The Shepherd's Chapel Arnold Murray (1854–1952), one of the Last surviving Confederate veterans Arnold Murray (1933–1989), lover of Alan Turing, prosecuted for homosexual activity Arthur Murray (1895–1991), American dance instructor and businessman, married to Kathryn Murray Arthur Murray, 3rd Viscount Elibank (1879–1962) Athol Murray (1892–1975), Canadian priest and high school president Lady Augusta Murray (1761–1830)
B Barbara Murray (1929–2014), actress Bert Murray (born 1942), English football player Bill Murray (born 1950), American actor Billy Murray (actor) (born 1941), British actor Billy Murray (singer) (1877–1954), American singer Bob Murray (businessman) (born 1946), businessman and former chairman of Sunderland Football Club Bobby Murray (musician) (1953–2026), American electric blues guitarist, songwriter and record producer Brady Murray (born 1984), American ice hockey player Braham Murray (1943–2018), English theatre director Brendan Murray (born 1996), Irish singer Brendan Murray (born 1995), known as Bighead (producer), American record producer Brett Murray (born 1961), South African artist Brian Doyle-Murray (born 1945), American comedian, screenwriter and actor Bruce C. Murray (1931–2013), American planetary scientist Bruce Murray (cricketer) (1940–2023), New Zealand cricketer Bruce Murray (soccer) (born 1966), American soccer player Bryan Murray (ice hockey) (1942–2017), Canadian ice hockey coach and executive
C Calesha "Bre-Z" Murray (born 1987), American actress and rapper Cammy Murray (1944–2025), Scottish footballer Casford Murray (ca. 1920–2014), Antiguan politician Chad Michael Murray (born 1981), American actor, former male fashion model and teen idol Charles Murray (disambiguation), multiple people Charles R. Murray (1882–1938), Canadian professional golfer Charlotte Murray (1754–1808), English botanist and author better known as Lady Charlotte Murray Charlotte Murray, Duchess of Atholl (1731–1805) Cheryl Murray (born 1952), British actress Chris Murray (born 1966), Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist Christian Murray, Canadian comedy writer Christy Murray, musician Cianna Murray, Canadian ice hockey referee Clark Murray (born 1938), American sculptor Colin Murray (born 1977), presenter Conor Murray (born 1989), Irish rugby union player Conrad Murray (born 1953), personal physician of Michael Jackson Craig Murray (born 1958), former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan Cristiane Murray (born 1962), Brazilian journalist and Vice Director of the Holy See Press Office
D Dana Murray (Missouri politician) (born 1946), American politician from Missouri Daniel Murray (disambiguation), multiple people Darren Murray (born 1974), Scottish footballer Darrin Murray (born 1967), New Zealand cricketer Dave Murray (musician) (born 1956), Iron Maiden guitarist David Murray (disambiguation), multiple people David Christie Murray (1847–1907), English journalist and writer David Murray-Lyon (1890–1975), officer in the Indian Army Dee Murray (1946–1992), British bassist, best known as a member of Elton John's original rock band Dejounte Murray (born 1996), American basketball player Denis Murray (journalist) (born 1951), British television journalist DeMarco Murray (born 1988), Dallas Cowboys running back Denis Murray (athlete) (1881–1944), Irish athlete at the 1908 Olympic Games in London Desirée Murray, Trinidad and Tobago politician Deryck Murray (born 1943), West Indies cricketer Devon Murray (born 1988), Irish actor Don Murray (clarinetist) (1904–1929), American jazz musician Don Murray (actor) (1929–2024), American actor Don Murray (writer) (1923–2006), Pulitzer Prize–winning writer for the Boston Herald Donald Walter Gordon Murray (1894–1976), Canadian surgeon Douglas Murray (ice hockey) (born 1980), Swedish ice hockey player Durno Murray (1925–2009), Australian ornithologist
E Earl Murray (1926–1994), American football player Ed Murray (Washington politician) (born 1955), politician from Washington State Eddie Murray (born 1956), American baseball player Eddie Murray (American football) (born 1956)