NameCensus.

UK surname

Murdy

Of Irish origin, meaning "lord" or "chief."

In the 1881 census there were 107 people recorded with the Murdy surname, ranking it #18,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 188, ranked #20,417, down from #18,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Doddington, Nottingham St Mary and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, East Lindsey and Ipswich.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Murdy is 192 in 2001. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 75.7%.

1881 census count

107

Ranked #18,982

Modern count

188

2016, ranked #20,417

Peak year

2001

192 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Murdy had 107 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016, ranked #20,417.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 160 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Murdy surname distribution map

The map shows where the Murdy surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Murdy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Murdy over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 73 #20,581
1861 historical 121 #18,148
1881 historical 107 #18,982
1891 historical 141 #19,108
1901 historical 160 #17,387
1911 historical 155 #17,485
1997 modern 177 #19,018
1998 modern 186 #18,918
1999 modern 190 #18,797
2000 modern 188 #18,916
2001 modern 192 #18,388
2002 modern 186 #19,150
2003 modern 178 #19,489
2004 modern 175 #19,805
2005 modern 165 #20,468
2006 modern 160 #21,066
2007 modern 157 #21,546
2008 modern 163 #21,238
2009 modern 167 #21,383
2010 modern 182 #20,662
2011 modern 182 #20,495
2012 modern 181 #20,531
2013 modern 187 #20,436
2014 modern 190 #20,374
2015 modern 191 #20,205
2016 modern 188 #20,417

Geography

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Where Murdys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Doddington, Nottingham St Mary, Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars, Scarborough and Bishop Wearmouth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, East Lindsey and Ipswich. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Doddington Northumberland
2 Nottingham St Mary Nottinghamshire
3 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
4 Scarborough Yorkshire, North Riding
5 Bishop Wearmouth Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 008 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 022 Northumberland
3 Northumberland 015 Northumberland
4 East Lindsey 002 East Lindsey
5 Ipswich 001 Ipswich

Forenames

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First names often paired with Murdy

These lists show first names that appear often with the Murdy surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Murdy

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Murdy, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Murdy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Murdy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Murdy is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Murdy is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Murdy falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Murdy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Murdy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Murdy

The surname Murdy is believed to have originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Scottish Gaelic personal name Muireadach, which means "the sea-born" or "the sea-bright one." The name may also be related to the Irish surname Mordha, which has a similar meaning and origin.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Murdy can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of homage rolls documenting those who swore fealty to King Edward I of England during his invasion of Scotland. The rolls mention a Thomas de Morthy, whose name suggests a connection to the Murdy surname.

In the 16th century, the Murdy name was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the counties of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire. The name appears in various records from this time, including the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, which mentions a John Murdy in 1545.

During the 17th century, the Murdy name spread to other parts of Scotland and became associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Sir Alexander Murdy (1616-1675), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as a member of the Scottish Parliament.

Another prominent bearer of the Murdy name was Reverend Robert Murdy (1735-1808), a Scottish minister and author who wrote several theological works and served as the minister of the parish of Monikie in Angus.

In the 19th century, the Murdy surname gained recognition through the achievements of James Murdy (1824-1895), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician who played a significant role in the development of the city of Melbourne.

Other notable individuals with the Murdy surname include William Murdy (1835-1914), an Irish-born American author and journalist who wrote extensively about Irish history and culture, and John Murdy (1892-1977), a Scottish-born Canadian engineer and entrepreneur who founded the Murdy Engineering Company in Vancouver.

Throughout its history, the Murdy surname has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Mordington in Berwickshire and Murdieston in Lanarkshire, which may have influenced the development and spelling of the name over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Murdy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Murdy surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Northumberland leads with 38 Murdys recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.48x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 38 24.48x
Durham 23 7.41x
Nottinghamshire 15 10.66x
Leicestershire 14 12.10x
Middlesex 4 0.38x
Yorkshire 4 0.39x
Cumberland 2 2.23x
Lanarkshire 2 0.59x
Shropshire 2 2.22x
Derbyshire 1 0.61x
Gloucestershire 1 0.49x
Lancashire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Nottingham St Mary in Nottinghamshire leads with 15 Murdys recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.23x.

Place Total Index
Nottingham St Mary 15 41.23x
Cowpen 10 279.33x
Leicester St Margaret 9 31.90x
Sunderland 9 164.23x
Horton 7 909.09x
Barmston 5 2173.91x
Bournmoor 5 1020.41x
Byker 5 65.10x
Ford 5 877.19x
Lowick 5 925.93x
Scarborough 4 42.55x
Stoke Newington London 4 49.20x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 3 22.30x
Westgate 3 31.19x
Akeld 2 4000.00x
Leicester All Sts 2 88.11x
Leicester St Martin 2 256.41x
Old Monkland 2 14.94x
Wigton 2 148.15x
Chetwynd 1 344.83x
Duddo 1 1666.67x
Great Bolton 1 6.10x
Helmington Row 1 68.97x
Leicester St Mary 1 10.70x
Newport 1 91.74x
Normanton 1 72.46x
Westbury On Trym 1 14.43x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Murdy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Murdy surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Thomas 12
John 8
William 6
James 5
Robert 5
George 4
Joseph 3
Edward 2
Henry 1
Johnson 1
Jonthan 1
Ralph 1
Willm. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Murdy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Murdy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 107 people were recorded with the Murdy surname. That placed it at #18,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Murdy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 188 in 2016. That gives Murdy a modern rank of #20,417.

What does the Murdy surname mean?

Of Irish origin, meaning "lord" or "chief."

What does the Murdy map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Murdy bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.