Murray is a Scottish surname and given name of Norman origin. It is derived from the Old French word "morel," which means "dark" or "swarthy." The name was originally used as a nickname for someone with dark hair or complexion.
The surname Murray is believed to have originated in Scotland, where it was introduced by the Normans who settled there after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The first recorded use of the name Murray in Scotland is from the 12th century, when a Walter de Moravia was listed as a landowner in Ayrshire.
The Murray clan played an important role in Scottish history and were closely associated with the Scottish monarchy. They were granted the title of Earl of Bothwell in 1405 and became one of the most powerful families in Scotland. The Murray family also produced several notable figures, including John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl, who was a prominent supporter of Bonnie Prince Charlie during the Jacobite uprising.
The name Murray has been used as a given name since the Middle Ages but it did not become popular until the 19th century. It is now widely used around the world and is considered to be a classic Scottish name. Some famous people with the name Murray include the Australian cricketer David Murray, the American actor Bill Murray, and the Canadian singer Michael Murray, better known by his stage name Drake.
In summary, Murray is a Scottish surname and given name of Norman origin that means "dark" or "swarthy." It has a long history in Scotland and was once associated with one of the most powerful families in the country. Today, it is widely used as both a first and last name around the world.
The name Murray has a fascinating history of usage in the United States, as reflected in the birth statistics from 1880 to 2023.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the name Murray was quite popular. It started with just 17 births in 1880, but by 1912, it had reached a peak of 254 births. This popularity continued to grow, reaching an all-time high of 628 births in 1922.
However, like many names, Murray's popularity began to decline after World War II. From the mid-1940s to the late 1970s, the number of annual births with the name Murray fluctuated between around 50 and 100.
The latter half of the 20th century saw a significant decrease in the usage of the name Murray. By the 1980s, it had fallen to fewer than 50 births per year, and by the late 1990s, it was consistently below 30 births annually.
In recent years, the name Murray has seen a slight resurgence, with numbers varying between around 20 and 60 births each year. As of 2023, there have been 61 births named Murray in the United States so far this year.
Overall, over the course of 143 years, from 1880 to 2023, a total of 21,809 babies have been named Murray in the United States. This name has clearly had its ups and downs in popularity but continues to be used today.