Surname Murnane - Meaning and Origin
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Murnane: What does the surname Murnane mean?
The last name Murnane is derived from an Irish surname that is an Anglicization of the Gaelic name O’Muirne. The O’ prefix indicates the name is derived from a male ancestor figure, while Muirne translates as 'sea'. Therefore, the ancestral origin of the Murnane surname is that it was first adopted by someone from an area near the sea.
The word muirne can also refer to something of exquisite beauty, so in this sense Murnane could be interpreted to mean 'beauty of the sea'.
Murnane can also be interpreted as a nickname, derived from the Gaelic word 'muir' meaning 'stature'. As one might expect, it was typically assigned to a taller or more imposing individual.
The Murnane surname appears mainly in and around counties Cork, Clare and Galway, so those with the name are likely to have roots in that region. It can be found scattered throughout the world, suggesting Irish immigrants took the name with them to their new homes in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Today, the name Murnane may still invoke images of the ocean or the impressive, towering stature that first gave the name its origins. It may also still hold meaning for Irish-Americans and others who are descendants of those that emigrated and took this ancestral name to their new homes.
Order DNA origin analysisMurnane: Where does the name Murnane come from?
The last name Murnane is most commonly found in Ireland today. It is an Irish surname originating from Co. Laois or Co. Offaly. According to the Irish name database, the Murnane surname has spread throughout the whole of Ireland, with the highest concentrations today located in counties Tipperary, Cork, Louth, Waterford, Kerry and Limerick.
The Murnane name can also be found in parts of England, Scotland and Wales, though this is primarily due to Irish emigration during the 17th and 18th centuries as part of the Great Famine. In the 20th century, Irish emigrants have spread the Murnane name across the world, particularly in the Americas, Australia and New Zealand.
Most Irish family histories featuring the Murnane name are linked to Gaelic clans, most of whom resided in counties Laois and Offaly. The surname itself is derived from the Gaelic name Ó Murnáin, which means ‘progenitor of the hound’. There has been speculation that the origin of the Murnane name could be linked to certain dog breeds, as several stories have survived referring to Murnane members who kept working dogs and hounds.
Variations of the surname Murnane
The surname Murnane has a number of variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. These include Mournayne, Mornane, Mourneen, Mourne, Mourn, Murnane, Murnan, Mournin, Murnaugh, Murnaghan, MacMurnane, O'Murnane and Ó Murnáin.
The surname Murnane is an Irish surname of Gaelic origin, derived from the Gaelic Irish name Ó Murnáin. The original spelling of the surname was O'Murnane or Ó Murnáin. The surname is derived from the Gaelic word "murnan", which originates in the Old Irish word "muirn", meaning "beloved" or "lovely". The prefix "O" or "Ó" is Irish for "grandson" or "descendant of". Therefore, the literal translation of the name Murnane is "descendant of the beloved one".
The Murnane surname can be found throughout Ireland, Scotland, England, the United States, Canada and Australia. Variants of the name are found in Scotland in the forms "McMurnane" and "McMurnan".
The name Murnane is also found in England, where it was borne by two brothers from Ireland, who were members of Oliver Cromwell's invading army in 1649. Variants of this name in England include Mourn, Mournin, Murnan, Murnaugh and Murnaghan.
In the United States, the Murnane surname is most commonly found in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Massachusetts, California and Maine. In Canada, variants of the Murnane surname can be found in Québec, Ontario and Nova Scotia.
In Australia, variants of the Murnane surname can be found in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
No matter what spelling, variant or surname, all of these variations ultimately derive from the ancient Gaelic Ó Murnáin, meaning "descendant of the beloved one".
Famous people with the name Murnane
- Jordin Murnane: American professional basketball player.
- Larry Murnane: former Major League Baseball player.
- Tom Murnane: Harold M. Jaffe Professor Emeritus of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
- Thomas Murnane: Australian artist.
- Henry Murnane: Australian journalist and author.
- Frank Murnane: former Victorian Supreme Court justice.
- Brian Murnane: former Gaelic football player.
- Eamon Gerald Murnane: founding member of the Ireland School of Music.
- Gary Murnane: Professor of Mathematics at University College Cork in Ireland.
- Bryan Murnane: English landscape artist.