Surname McMurtrey - Meaning and Origin

McMurtrey: What does the surname McMurtrey mean?

The surname McMurtrey is of Scottish origin and is a derivative of the surname McMurtry. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Muircheartaigh, which means "son of Muircheartach". The name Muircheartach itself is a combination of two elements: ‘muir’, meaning sea, and ‘ceartach’, meaning ruler or right. Thus, the literal translation of the name could be "son of the sea ruler". It is primarily associated with the Scottish clan system and as such, it also signifies the family's long historical ties to Scotland. Like many surnames, McMurtrey originally served as an indicator of the individual's lineage and family history. As people began to migrate, surnames like McMurtrey also served to connect those individuals to their homeland. Variations of the name include McMurtrie, McMurtry, and McMurtury among others.

McMurtrey: Where does the name McMurtrey come from?

The surname McMurtrey is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic name Mac Mhurchaidh, which means "son of Murchadh". The English version of Murchadh is Murdoch, so the surname can also mean "son of Murdoch". The surname has various spelling forms including MacMurdo, MacMurdoch, McMurchy, McMurtry, among others.

Though it originates from Scotland, due to historical migration and emigration patterns, it has spread to other parts of the world such as the United States, Canada, and Australia. Details of its density in specific regions are not readily available, but it's safe to say that the name McMurtrey and its variations are possible to find in any part of the world that has seen significant Scottish diaspora. However, it remains most common in English-speaking countries due to shared linguistic and sometimes, cultural heritage.

Variations of the surname McMurtrey

The surname McMurtrey is of Irish origin and derives from the Gaelic "Mac Muircheartaigh," meaning "son of Murtagh." It’s an uncommon and unique name, and variations of it may include McMurtury, McMurtry, McMurtrie, McMurtie, McMurtray and MacMurtrey. The names often get misspelled due to phonetic transcriptions, regional accents, and interpretation. Hence, you might find additional variations in spelling. It's also common to find the same surname with or without the “Mc” or “Mac” prefix, based on historical or regional usage. So, variations like Murtry, Murtrey, or Murtrie might also appear.

It's also interesting to note that in many instances throughout history, families anglicized their names to avoid discrimination or for simplification. For example, McMurtrey could have possibly transformed or been changed to Murty or Murphy in certain circumstances. Keep in mind that these possible variants might not cover all the possible adaptations and mutations of the name that could have occurred over centuries and across different geographies. One may also encounter the surname with different prefixes such as "O" as in O'Murtrey.

Famous people with the name McMurtrey

• Gerry McMurtry: American former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder born in 1952.
• Wiley McMurtrey: American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played seven games for the Chicago White Sox in 1959.
• Lance McMurtry: American professional golfer who won the 1973 PGA Tour Championship and was the winner of the1984 Valspar Championship.
• John McMurtrey: American politician and member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 2005 to 2008.
• Dena McMurtrey: American talent manager and producer.
• Jesse McMurtry: American painter and sculptor whose works are figurative and naturalistic, with subtle surrealistic elements.
• Ryan McMurtrey: American football coach who currently serves as offensive coordinator for the Valparaiso University Crusaders.
• Wayne McMurtrey: American professional bull rider and member of the Professional Bull Riders World Finals.
• Zach McMurtry: American male shot putter who won the silver medal at the 2009 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships.
• Ty McMurtrey: American former sprint car and dirt modified race car driver active during the 1990's.
• J.W. McMurtrey: American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in three games for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1981.
• Patrick McMurtrey: American film and television actor best known for his roles in The Checkers Speech (2010), and Code Black (2015).

Other surnames

McMurtrieMcMurtry