Surname Murff - Meaning and Origin
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Murff: What does the surname Murff mean?
The last name Murff is of English origin, and is most commonly associated with the counties of Surrey and Oxfordshire. It is derived from the Old English words mor or mur, which mean either “moor” or “marsh”. This is an indication of the geographical origin of the people who first adopted the surname—namely, those who lived near a marshy area or in moorland.
The Murff surname was also used to denote people who hailed from the village of Morfe in northern Shropshire, located on the River Meole. It is believed that the village got its name from the Old English terms mor, meaning “marsh”, and feoh, meaning “rod” or “fee”. This indicates that the people who first lived in the area were settlers who farmed marshy land and paid a fee in order to do so.
The Murff surname also appears as an Irish name in County Longford, possibly derived from the Gaelic “muir” meaning “large sea”, and “feadh” meaning “fort”. This is a reference to the fortifications that were built in the area centuries ago.
Today, the surname Murff is mostly found in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, with a comparatively smaller presence in the United States. As a whole, Murff is a surname that reflects the interesting history and diverse origins of the people who have borne it.
Order DNA origin analysisMurff: Where does the name Murff come from?
The last name Murff is most commonly found in the United States, particularly in the southern states. According to Ancestry.com, it is most popular in Louisiana, followed by Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Texas.
The earliest record of the Murff name dates back to 1763 in Virginia. The name was likely brought to the southern states during the early settlement period of the United States when many families migrated from other parts of the world.
In terms of ancestry, the Murff family is mostly of English origin, although some members have Scottish, Irish, and even Greek descent.
Today, anyone with the Murff surname can usually trace their heritage back to an ancestor who originally settled in the southern United States, or a descendant of that ancestor. The name is still mostly concentrated in the southern states, but has spread to other areas in the United States over time. It is also becoming increasingly popular in America’s northern neighbor, Canada.
The Murff name is a reminder of the hard work and dedication of our ancestors who settled the United States and their descendants who carried on that legacy.
Variations of the surname Murff
The surname Murff is believed to have originated from Germany. Variants of the surname Murff include Muff, Muph, Murph, Murphie, Murfee, Murphey, and Murfy.
Muff is the most common variant influence by German phonetic spellings. German records of Muff extend to 16th century, although it is likely older. In the 19th century, Muff moved from Germany to North America, mainly to the US and Canada.
Muph and Murph are two variants of the same origin and would have been spelled this way in Scotland and Ireland. The spelling of Murf or Murph might, in some circumstances, be attributed to Scottish phonetic spelling.
Murphie is a French variant of the Murff surname. The spelling of Murphie, likely began in the 18th century as Murfie during emigration from France to North America.
The spellings Murfee, Murphey, and Murfy are believed to have originated from Ireland as Murphockson. Here it is thought to have been used to describe people of black hair, adopted from an ancient Gaelic word Murcfacht.
The surname Murff is linked to a variety of spellings and surnames but all are of the same German origin. These surnames also have been linked to the French and the Irish, showing how far and wide the surname Murff has travelled.
Famous people with the name Murff
- Willie Murff, an American comedian, musician and actor.
- Graham Murff, an American musician and producer.
- Jeff Murff, an American politician and businessman.
- Brain Murff, an American boxer.
- Johnny Murff, an American singer-songwriter.
- Dabney Murff, an American attorney and businessman.
- Mary Beth Murff, an American television personality.
- B.J. Murff, an American film director and screenwriter.
- Madeline Murff, an American writer and editor.
- Lance Murff, an American philanthropist and venture capitalist.
- Justin Murff, an American drummer and composer.
- Dwight Murff, an American educator, activist and politician.
- Matt Murff, an American composer and producer.
- Bert Murff, an American voice actor and radio host.
- Jimmy Murff, an American artist and illustrator.
- Reed Murff, an American actor and musician.
- Caleb Murff, an American game designer and art director.
- Elmore Murff Jr., an American jazz saxophonist and flautist.
- Christy Murff, an American professional wrestler.
- Grant Murff, an American football coach.