Find out how popular the last name Murphey is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Murphey.

Murphey, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Murphey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Murphey in America

Murphey is the 8254th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Murphey surname appeared 4,013 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Murphey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Murphey to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Murphey

The surname Murphey has its origins in Ireland, where it emerged as a prominent family name during the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "muir" meaning "sea" and "chú" meaning "hound" or "protector," suggesting that the name may have been originally associated with a sea-watcher or coastal guardian.

The name Murphey is a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname Murphy, which has been recorded in various forms throughout history, including O'Morfaidh, O'Murfith, and O'Murphey. These variations are believed to have stemmed from the patronymic system, where prefixes like "O'" were used to denote descent from an ancestor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Murphey can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention several individuals with the surname, including Domhnall O'Murfith, who was involved in a battle in County Sligo in the year 1270.

Another notable figure bearing the surname Murphey was Patrick Murphey, a Catholic priest and author who lived in the 17th century. He is known for his work "The Life and Writings of St. Patrick," published in 1653, which provided valuable insights into the life and legacy of Ireland's patron saint.

In the 18th century, John Murphey (1714-1798) was a prominent Irish-American merchant and politician from Philadelphia. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and played a role in the American Revolutionary War.

Moving forward to the 19th century, we find Edward Murphey (1805-1882), an American jurist and legal scholar from North Carolina. He served as a judge and wrote influential works on legal topics, contributing significantly to the development of American jurisprudence.

Another notable figure with the surname Murphey was Frank Murphey (1894-1985), an American writer and journalist. He is best known for his novel "The Disciples of Freedom," which explored the theme of freedom and human rights in the context of the American Civil War.

These examples demonstrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds associated with the surname Murphey, which has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergy, politicians, scholars, and authors, throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Murphey

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Murphey.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Murphey was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Murphey has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Murphey was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Murphey, please contact us.

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