History of your Surname
Get access to Murphy family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Murphy Family History

Murphy Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Murchadha ‘descendant of Murchadh’ a personal name composed of the elements muir ‘sea’ + cath ‘battle’ i.e. ‘sea warrior’. This was an important family in Tyrone. For the surname with mac see also McMurrough (Leinster). English: variant of Morphey (see Morphew ).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Mcmurphy, Murley, Murray, Murrin, Dunphy, Merry, Murty, Murthy

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Murphy family from?

You can see how Murphy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Murphy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Murphy families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 416 Murphy families living in New York. This was about 20% of all the recorded Murphy's in USA. New York had the highest population of Murphy families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Murphy surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Murphy ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Murphy. 13% of Murphy men worked as a Laborer and 7% of Murphy women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Murphy were Clerk and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Murphy | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    13%
  • Farmer
    9%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    7%
  • Stenographer
    7%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Murphy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2 million census records available for the last name Murphy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Murphy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Murphy

Passenger Lists

There are 443,000 immigration records available for the last name Murphy. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Murphy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 404,000 military records available for the last name Murphy. For the veterans among your Murphy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Murphy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Murphy family history

Discover More

What is the average Murphy lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Murphy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Murphy in 1940 was 57, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Murphy

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Murphy family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Murphy last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial