Murphy

Murphy.

Murphy is an Anglicized version of two Irish surnames: Ó Murchadha/Ó Murchadh ("descendant of Murchadh"), and Mac Murchaidh/Mac Murchadh ("son of Murchadh")^[1] derived from the Irish personal name Murchadh, which meant "sea-warrior" or "sea-battler".^[2] (Muir meaning "sea" and cath meaning "battle").^[3]

It is said of Murrough (Murchadh) as he entered the thick of the fight and prepared to assail the foreign invaders, the Danes, when they had repulsed the Dal-Cais, that 'he was seized with a boiling terrible anger, an excessive elevation and greatness of spirit and mind. A bird of valour and championship rose in him, and fluttered over his head and on his breath.^[4]

In modern Irish, "Ó Murchú", rather than "Ó Murchadha", is used.

Murphy is the most common surname in Ireland, the fourteenth most common surname in Northern Ireland and the fifty-eighth most common surname in the United States.^[5]

Notable people named Murphy

Men

• Murphy, baseball player
• Alex Murphy (rugby league) (born 1939), English rugby league footballer
• Anthony Murphy (cricketer) (born 1962), English cricketer
• Arthur Murphy, several people:
  • Arthur Murphy (writer) (1727–1805), Irish actor and playwright
  • Arthur H. Murphy (1831–1903), entrepreneur and political figure in Quebec, Canada
  • Arthur P. Murphy (1870–1914), American Republican politician
• Audie Murphy (1925–1971), American war hero and actor
• Austin J. Murphy (born 1927), Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania
• Barnes Murphy (born 1947), former Gaelic footballer for Sligo
• Bob Murphy, several people, see Robert Murphy
• Bos Murphy (1924–2000), New Zealander boxer of the 1940s and '50s
• Brian Murphy, several people:
  • Brian Murphy (actor) (born 1933), British actor most noted for his role as George Roper in the sitcom George and Mildred
  • Brian Murphy (baseball) (born 1980), American college baseball coach
  • Brian Murphy (politician) (born 1961), former mayor of Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada
  • Brian Murphy (cricketer) (born 1976), former captain of the Zimbabwean cricket team
  • Brian Murphy (dual player) (born 1952), former hurler and Gaelic footballer with Cork, Ireland
  • Brian Murphy (soccer player) (born 1983), currently playing for Portsmouth F.C.
  • Brian Murphy (politician) (born 1956), first to win independent race in his town
  • Brian Murphy (hurler, born 1982) (born 1982), corner-back on the Cork, Ireland, senior hurling team
  • Brian Murphy (writer) (born 1959), religion editor for the Associated Press
• Buddy Murphy, Australian professional wrestler
• Calvin Murphy (born 1948), American retired basketball player
• Charles Murphy, several people:
  • Charles Murphy (1880–1958), Irish politician more commonly referred to as Cathal Ó Murchadha
  • Charles Murphy (architect) (1890–1985), the Chicago-based architect of C.F. Murphy Associates, later Murphy/Jahn Inc.
  • Charles Murphy (Canadian politician) (1862–1935)
  • Charles Francis Murphy (1858–1924), American political figure
  • Charles Minthorn Murphy (1870–1950), aka "Mile-a-Minute" Murphy, American cyclist
  • Charles Quinton Murphy (born 1959), American writer, actor, and stand-up comedian
  • Charles Terrence Murphy (Canadian politician) (born 1926), Canadian politician
• Chris Murphy (born 1973), United States Senator from Connecticut
• Cillian Murphy (born 1976), Irish actor
• Colin Murphy, several people:
  • Colin Murphy, Irish comedian
  • Colin Murphy (ice hockey) (born 1980), Canadian ice-hockey player
  • a different, Anglicized, spelling of Colm Murphy (born 1952), Irish, alleged suspect in the Omagh bombing
• Conor Murphy, Sinn Féin politician in Northern Ireland
• Dale Murphy, several people:
  • Dale Murphy (born 1956), American retired baseball player
  • Dale D. Murphy, professor at Georgetown University
• Daniel Murphy, several people
• Danny Murphy, several people
• Darren Murphy (1961–2012) bassist with Indie band Wasted Youth.
• Darren Murphy, Irish professional football player
• Daryl Murphy, Irish professional football player
• David Murphy, several people:
  • David Murphy (baseball) (born 1981), American
  • David Murphy, CIA's station chief in Berlin from 1959–1961
  • David Murphy (footballer) (born 1984), English
  • David Lee Murphy (born 1959), American country music singer-songwriter
• Dick Murphy (born 1942), American retired Republican politician
• Donald E. Murphy (born 1960), American Republican politician
  • Donnie Murphy (born 1983), American Baseball Player
• Derek Murphy, (born 1968) American Rapper aka Sadat X
• Eddie Murphy, several people:
  • Eddie Murphy (born 1961), American comedian and actor
  • Eddie Murphy (1891–1969), American baseball player
• Edgar Gardner Murphy (1869–1913), American clergyman and author
• Edward Murphy, several people, most notably:
  • Major Edward A. Murphy, Jr. 1918–1990, American aerospace engineer linked with Murphy's law
• Elliott Murphy (born 1949), American singer/songwriter
• Erik Murphy (born 1990), American–Finnish basketball player
• Everett J. Murphy (1852–1922), politician
• Francis Murphy, several people:
  • Francis Murphy (bishop) (1795–1858), Australian bishop
  • Francis Murphy (evangelist) (1836–1907), American temperance evangelist
  • Francis P. Murphy (1877–1958), Republican 73rd Governor of New Hampshire
  • Francis X. Murphy (1915–2002), Catholic theologian and chaplain
• Frank Murphy, several people:
  • Frank Murphy (1890–1949), former Justice of the United States Supreme Court
  • Frank Murphy (American football) (born 1977), former NFL player
  • Frank Murphy (rugby player) (born 1981), Irish professional rugby union player
  • B. Frank Murphy (1867–1938), US Representative from Ohio
• Fred Murphy, several people
  • Fred Murphy, American cinematographer
  • Fred J. Murphy, American football coach
  • Fred Murphy, American gridiron football player
• Gary Murphy (1971) Irish Mathematician and inventor of the Dyson shirt dryer
• Geoffrey Mostyn Murphy (1922–2011), Australian boxer, better known as Tommy Burns
• Glen Murphy (1957) English Actor
• George Murphy (1902–1992, American dancer, actor, and Republican Senator
• Henry Murphy, several people:
  • Henry Murphy (1877–1954), American architect
  • Henry Cruse Murphy (1810–1882), American politician from New York and US minister to the Netherlands
• Isaac Murphy, two people:
  • Isaac Murphy (1802–1882), Republican Governor of Arkansas
  • Isaac Burns Murphy (1861–1896), American Hall of Fame jockey
• Jack Murphy, several people:
  • Jack Murphy (Irish politician) (1920–1984), Irish republican and independent politician
  • Jack Murphy (footballer) (born 1918), retired Australian Rules footballer
  • Jack Murphy (sportswriter) (1923–1980), American sportswriter and brother of Bob Murphy
  • Jack M. Murphy (1925–1984), Republican Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
  • Jack Roland Murphy (born 1938), aka Murph the Surf, American, convicted robber and murderer
• James or Jimmy Murphy, several people:
  • James Murphy (electronic musician) (born 1970), American
  • James Murphy (metal guitarist) (born 1967), American heavy metal guitarist
  • James Murphy, retired American soccer player
  • James "Quick" Murphy (born 1959), retired Canadian football player
  • James A. Murphy III, District Attorney, Saratoga County, New York
  • James Anthony Murphy (1894–1924), "Jimmy" Murphy, American racing driver
  • James J. Murphy (1898–1962), a United States Representative from New York
  • James William Murphy (1858–1927), a United States Representative from Wisconsin
  • Jimmy Murphy (cartoonist) (1891–1965), cartoonist of Toots and Casper comic strip
  • Jimmy Murphy (footballer) (1910–1989), Welsh football player and manager
  • Jimmy Murphy, (1925–1981), American Country musician
  • Jimmy Murphy (playwright) (born 1962), Irish playwright
• Jim Murphy, several people:
  • Jim Murphy, (born 1967), British Labour Party politician
  • Jim Murphy, (born 1947), American author
  • Jim Murphy, (born 1942), former Scottish professional footballer
  • Jim Murphy, (born 1957), member of the Texas House of Representatives
• John Murphy, several people:
  • John Murphy (Alabama) (1786–1841), American Democratic Governor and Congressman from Alabama
  • John Murphy, American football announcer for the Buffalo Bills
  • John Murphy (Australian politician) (born 1950), member of the House of Representatives
  • John Murphy (Australian rules footballer) (born 1949), former champion player with the Fitzroy Football Club in the 1960s and 1970s
  • John Murphy (baseball infielder) (died 1949), aka Soldier Boy, a baseball infielder
  • John Murphy, a 19th-century baseball pitcher
  • John Murphy (Canadian politician) (born 1937), member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1993–1997
  • John Murphy (composer) (born 1965), British composer of film scores
  • John Murphy, financial market analyst
  • John Murphy (footballer, born 1976) (born 1976), English striker for Chester City
  • John Murphy (musician) (born 1959), sometimes credited as "Jonh Murphy", Australian drummer and multi-instrument musician
  • John Murphy (playwright) (1929–1998), Irish dramatist, author of The Country Boy.
  • John Murphy (swimmer) (born 1953), retired American Olympic gold medalist in swimming
  • Father John Murphy (1753–1798), one of the leaders during the Irish Rebellion of 1798
  • John A. Murphy (born 1927), Irish historian and former independent Senator from Cork
  • John Alphonsus Murphy, American Medal of Honor recipient
  • John Benjamin Murphy (1857–1916), American surgeon, president of the American Medical Association in 1911
  • John E. Murphy (1869–1941), United States Navy sailor and Medal of Honor recipient during the Spanish–American War
  • John Francis Murphy (1853–1921), American landscape painter
  • John J. Murphy (born 1959), American Republican politician
  • John Michael Murphy, US Congressman from New York, implicated in Abscam
  • John W. Murphy (1902–1962), American Democratic Congressman from Pennsylvania
  • John W. Murphy, former mayor of New Haven, Connecticut
• Joseph Murphy, several people
• Kevin Murphy, several people:
  • Kevin Murphy (actor) (born 1956), American actor, author and puppeteer
  • Kevin Murphy (linebacker) (born 1963), retired American football player
  • Kevin Murphy (ombudsman)
  • Kevin Murphy, American screenwriter, television producer, and composer
  • Kevin Murphy (swimmer) (born 1949), "King of the Channel" title holder for crossing the English Channel
  • Kevin M. Murphy, economist and professor at the University of Chicago
• Lambert Murphy (1885–?), American tenor, sang at the Metropolitan Opera
• Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr. (born 1974), American singer, winner of season 6 of America's Got Talent
• Larry Murphy (born 1961), Canadian retired professional ice hockey player
• Lionel Murphy (born 1922), Australian politician and jurist
• Loren E. Murphy (1882–1963), American jurist
• Marc Murphy (born 1987), Australian rules footballer
• Mark Murphy, several people:
  • Mark Murphy (safety b. 1958) (born 1958), retired American football player
  • Mark Murphy (safety b. 1955) (born 1955), retired American football player, now President and CEO of the Green Bay Packers
  • Mark Murphy (singer) (born c. 1932), American jazz singer
• Martin Murphy, several people
• Matt Murphy, several people:
  • Matt Murphy (American football) (born 1980), American football player
  • Matt Murphy (blues guitarist) (born 1927), aka Matt "Guitar" Murphy, an American musician
  • Matt Murphy (Canadian musician)
  • Matt Murphy, an American Republican Senator
  • Matt Murphy (wrestler) (born 1979), aka "All That" Matt Murphy, a retired American professional wrestler
• Michael Murphy, several people:
  • Michael Murphy (actor) (born 1938), American actor
  • Michael Murphy (author) (born 1930), American Integral Movement author and co-founder of the Esalen Institute
  • Michael Murphy (diver) (born 1973), retired Australian Olympic diver
  • Michael Murphy (New Jersey politician) (born 1949), New Jersey lobbyist, former Prosecutor and candidate for Governor
  • Michael Murphy (priest) (c. 1767 – 1798), co-leader in the Irish Rebellion of 1798
  • Michael Murphy (singer) (born 1986), New Zealand Idol runner up
  • Michael Murphy (VC) (c. 1837 – 1893), Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross
  • Michael Bryan Murphy, former lead singer of REO Speedwagon
  • Michael D. Murphy, United States Air Force Colonel under charges for falsely claiming to be an attorney
  • Michael P. Murphy (1976–2005), United States Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient, killed in action in Afghanistan
  • Michael Martin Murphey (born 1945, American singer and songwriter
• Mick Murphy (Sinn Féin politician) (born 1942)
• Mickey Murphy,(Gaelic footballer), Tyrone and Galbally Pearses midfielder
• Mike Murphy, several people:
  • Mike Murphy (broadcaster) (born 1941), retired Irish broadcaster
  • Mike Murphy, retired ice hockey player and head coach, currently NHL vice-president of hockey operations
  • Mike Murphy, ice hockey player for the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League
  • Mike Murphy (New Brunswick politician) (born 1958), Canadian lawyer and Liberal politician
  • Mike Murphy (political consultant) (born 1962), American Republican political consultant
  • Mike Murphy, Democratic Treasurer of the State of Washington
• Nicholas Murphy (born 1978), Gaelic footballer
• Nicholas Daniel Murphy (1811–1890), Irish politician from Cork, Member of Parliament (MP) 1865–1880
• Nick Murphy, several people:
  • Nick Murphy (American football) (born 1979), American football player
  • Nick Murphy (footballer born 1946) (born 1946), English footballer
  • Nick Murphy (footballer born 1966) (1966–1998), English footballer
  • Nick Murphy (writer) (born 1977), Irish writer
• Oakes Murphy (1849–1908), Two-time Governor of Arizona Territory
• Pat Murphy, several people
• Paul Murphy, several people
• Peter Murphy, several people:
  • Peter Murphy (artist) (born 1959), English Stuckist artist
  • Peter Murphy (footballer born 1980) (born 1980), Irish international footballer
  • Peter Murphy, American lawyer and officer in the United States Marine Corps
  • Peter Murphy (musician) (born 1957), British musician with Bauhaus
  • Peter Murphy (politician) (born 1949), American politician, Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
  • Peter Murphy (UK footballer) (1922–1975), aka "Spud" Murphy, English footballer
  • Peter Murphy (executive) American entertainment executive
• Philip D. Murphy (born 1957), ambassador
• Richard Murphy, several people:
  • Dick Murphy (Richard M. Murphy) (born 1942), American retired Republican politician
  • Richard Murphy, Scottish architect
  • Richard Murphy (poet) (born 1927), Irish poet
  • Richard Murphy (screenwriter) (1912–1993), American film and television writer
  • Richard L. Murphy (1875–1936), American Senator from Iowa
  • Richard W. Murphy (born 1929), American diplomat
• Rob Murphy, several people:
  • Rob Murphy (born 1960), American retired baseball player
  • Rob Murphy, American assista basketball coach
  • Rob Murphy (football player) (born 1977), professional Canadian football player
  • Rob Murphy (ice hockey) (born 1969), Canadian retired ice hockey player
• Robert Murphy, several people:
  • Irish Bob Murphy (1922–1961), American light heavyweight boxer
  • Bob Murphy (announcer) (1924–2004), American baseball announcer
  • Bob Murphy (golfer) (born 1943), American PGA winning golfer
  • Bob Murphy, Canadian jazz pianist
  • Robert Murphy (Australian rules footballer) (born 1982), Australian rules football
  • Robert C. Murphy (1926–2000), American lawyer and judge
  • Robert Cushman Murphy (1887–1973), American ornithologist
  • Robert Daniel Murphy (1894&ndas1978), American diplomat
  • Robert F. Murphy, American retired Republican politician, Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts from 1957 to 1961
  • Robert F. Murphy (anthropologist) (1924–1990), American anthropologist
  • Robert P. Murphy (born 1976), American economist and author
  • Robert S. Murphy (1861–1912), American politician, Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 1907 to 1911
• Roger P. Murphy, American legislator and jurist
• Ryan Murphy, two people:
  • Ryan Murphy (Australian rules footballer) (born 1985)
  • Ryan Murphy, American television writer, director and producer
• Scott Murphy, two people:
  • Scott Murphy, former US Representative for New York's 20th congressional district
  • Scott Murphy, a programmer behind the Space Quest series
• Sean Murphy, several people:
  • Sean Murphy, cartoonist
  • Sean Murphy, professor at Royal Holloway, University of London
  • Seán Murphy, retired Irish football player
  • Sean Murphy (golfer) (born 1965), American professional golfer
  • Sean Murphy (journalist) (born 1958), Australian journalist
  • Sean Murphy, a fictional character on the television series Oz
  • Sean Murphy (racer) (born 1984)
• Shaun Murphy, several people:
  • Shaun Murphy (cue sports) (born 1982), English snooker player
  • Shaun Murphy (footballer) (born 1970), retired Australian soccer player
  • note: there also is a woman of this name: Shaun Murphy, aka Stoney, American singer
• Shawn Murphy, several people
• Timothy Murphy, several people:
  • Tim Murphy (born 1959), retired Canadian politician
  • Tim Murphy, a fictional character in Jurassic Park
  • Tim Murphy (congressman) (born 1952), American Republican politician
  • Tim Murphy, currently at Harvard University
  • Timothy Murphy (1751–1818), sniper in the American Revolutionary War
  • Timothy D. Murphy (died 1928), aka "Big Tim", Chicago mobster and labour racketeer
  • Timothy J. Murphy (died 1949), Irish Labour Party politician
  • Timothy Patrick Murphy (1959–1988), American film and television actor
• Thomas Murphy (or Tom), several people
• Tom Murphy (athlete) (born 1935), American middle distance runner
• Troy Murphy, power forward for the Boston Celtics
• Vincent B. Murphy, NYS Comptroller 1925–1926
• Vincent J. Murphy, Mayor of Newark 1941–1949
• Wendell H. Murphy, North Carolina politician
• William Murphy, several people
• Yale Murphy (1869–1906), American baseball player
• Yo Murphy, football player, CFL, NFL

Women

• Brittany Murphy (1977–2009), American actress
• Dervla Murphy (born 1931), travel writer
• Carolyn Murphy (born 1975), American model
• Donna Murphy (born 1958), American Tony Award winning actress
• Erin Murphy, several people:
  • Erin Murphy (born 1964), American actress
  • Erin Murphy, American poet
  • Erin Murphy (politician) (born 1960), Minnesota politician
• Gillian Murphy, principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre
• Julie Murphy, American novelist
• Kelly Murphy (born 1977), American author and illustrator
• Margaret Mary Healy Murphy (1833–1907), American Catholic nun
• Mary Murphy, several people:
  • Mary Murphy (actress) (born 1931), American actress
  • Mary Murphy, American choreographer
  • Mary Murphy (politician) (born 1940), American politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
  • Mary Murphy (reporter) (born 1959), American reporter and anchorwoman
• Róisín Murphy (born 1973), Irish electronica singer, songwriter, and producer
• Shaun Murphy, aka Stoney, American singer

Fictional

• Captain Murphy from the Adult Swim animated series Sealab 2021
• Murphy, the eponymous protagonist in Samuel Beckett's first published novel
• Alex James Murphy, the police officer who became RoboCop
• Alexis "Lex" Murphy, a character in Jurassic Park
• "Bleeding Gums" Murphy, a character on the cartoon television series The Simpsons
• Bridey Murphy, historical character in a hypnotic regression case detailed in Bernstein's The Search for Bridey Murphy
• Dr. Colin Murphy, character on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives
• Eric Murphy, character in the HBO series Entourage
• Professor Michael Murphy, the protagonist in the Babylon Rising series by Dr Tim LaHaye
• Murphy MacManus, one of the two main characters from the movie The Boondock Saints
• Randle Patrick McMurphy, one of the main characters in Ken Kesey's 1962 novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
• Murphy Pendleton, the protagonist of the video game Silent Hill: Downpour
• Karrin Murphy, is a police detective and head of SI, a friend to Harry Dresden, and major character in Jim Butcher's The Dresden Files.
• Naiada Murphy, a character in book Naiada and the Mystery of the Hidden Diary by Ms. Nathalie de Gabriele Ferrante
• Murphy Brown, the lead character in the television show Murphy Brown, a recovering alcoholic, who, in the show's first episode, returns to the fictional news magazine FYI for the first time following a stay at the Betty Ford Clinic.
• Murphy, one of the three protagonists from Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson, and the rebel of the gang
• John Murphy, character on the CW show The 100
• Murphy Cooper, character in the film Interstellar, named after Murphy's Law
• Hank Murphy, character in the TV series Sullivan & Son (2012)
• Ray Murphy, birth name of Gino Esposito, a character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours
• Sean Murphy, an Irish correctional officer in the HBO drama Oz
• Murphy, ring name of wrestler Mikael Judas

See also

• Murph (disambiguation)

References

External links

• Official Home of the Murphy Clan, including a wealth of historical content about Ireland's Murphy Clan such as clan history, famous people, homelands, genealogy, discussion forums and blog articles.