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

Murphree, 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 Murphree surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Murphree in America

Murphree is the 8242nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Murphree surname appeared 4,021 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 Murphree.

We can also compare 2010 data for Murphree 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 Murphree

The surname Murphree originated in Ireland, deriving from the Gaelic words "muir" meaning sea and "frith" meaning man, thus translating to "man of the sea." The earliest records of the name can be traced back to the 12th century in County Kerry, where it was initially spelled Muirfrith.

In the 16th century, the Murphree family had established themselves as landowners in the Dingle Peninsula, and their name appeared in various legal documents and property deeds from that region. The name also had variations in spelling, such as Muirfree and Murphry, due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

One of the earliest known records of the name is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where a Muirfrith O'Falvey is mentioned as a participant in a battle in 1165. This suggests that the name was already in use by that period.

In the late 16th century, a Murphree family from County Kerry settled in the Blackwater Valley in County Cork, where they became prominent landowners and members of the local gentry. One notable figure from this branch was John Murphree (1630-1704), who served as a magistrate and played a role in suppressing local uprisings during the Williamite War.

Another prominent Murphree was Robert Murphree (1755-1832), a successful merchant and shipowner from Cork City. He amassed a considerable fortune through his maritime trade and was known for his philanthropic contributions to the local community.

In the 19th century, the Murphree name spread across Ireland, and several individuals with this surname achieved notable accomplishments. One such figure was Mary Murphree (1815-1890), a pioneering educator who established several schools for girls in Dublin and campaigned for women's access to higher education.

Another notable Murphree was William Murphree (1820-1897), a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in Dublin, including the Shelbourne Hotel and the National Museum of Ireland.

As the Murphree family dispersed across Ireland and beyond, the name underwent further variations in spelling, such as Murphry and Murphrie, but the core meaning and origin remained rooted in the Irish Gaelic language and the coastal heritage of County Kerry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Murphree

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

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 Murphree 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 Murphree 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 Murphree was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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