Surname Murrant - Meaning and Origin

Murrant: What does the surname Murrant mean?

The origin of the surname Murrant is from the Old French 'Morrance', and ultimately from the Latin 'morari'. The name can be translated to mean 'led to delay, wait, or tarry', which alludes to someone who is slow to act or easily distracted.

Murrant was first used in England in the 1300s, and its popularity spread to Scotland in the late 1600s. This surname was considered to have come about due to a person's occupation of being either a messenger or a guard-watchman. It potentially also reflects a person's habit or character traits, signifying they had a tendency to linger or be cautious in their approach to life.

The distribution of the Murrant surname has been mainly confined to the West Midlands region of England since late medieval times, with prevalence in varieties of the counties of Wiltshire, Gloucester, and Worcestershire. The surname is also known to have appeared in parts of Ireland, having been introduced by English settlers as early as the medieval age.

The Murrant family name has come to embody the loyal spirit of its ancestors, and is a proud reminder to those who share it of its long and honorable heritage.

Murrant: Where does the name Murrant come from?

The last name Murrant is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, although it can also be found in Australia, Canada, and other countries with historical ties to England. The name is believed to have originated in the former county of Somersetshire, England, although its exact origin is unknown.

In England, Murrant is one of the top 5,000 most-used surnames, according to data from the 1881 UK Census. That census showed that Murrant was one of the most popular surnames in nearby counties Kent and Wiltshire.

In modern-day Australia, the last name Murrant is not particularly common. A 2016 government statistics report found that there were only 246 Australians with the surname Murrant. The majority of those people lived in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria.

In Canada, the name is even rarer, with the 2011 Census estimating only 97 people with the name Murrant living in the country at the time. Canada is home to many of the immigrants from the UK who carried the name Murrant with them in the 19th century.

Although the last name Murrant is not exactly common, those who bear it today maintain a link to the past, whether they are descended from those early settlers in the United Kingdom, or those who brought the name to the new world in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Variations of the surname Murrant

The surname Murrant has many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These include Murrent, Murront, Murran, Murren, Morant, Morrant, Mourant, Mourrent, and Morront. It is thought that the name originated in Wales, where variants such as Morrant and Murrant were sometimes used, and in England, where variants such as Moriand, Morrant, and Murrant were used.

The surname is derived from the Old Welsh personal name 'Mwr' or 'Mweir' which means 'son of Meuric'. The name Meuric is derived from the Old Breton name 'Mauric', which means 'Sea Warrior'. In England, the name Murrant is an Anglicized version of the French surname Morant. Morant is derived from the Latin personal name 'Maurantius', which is derived from the Latin word 'Mauri', which means 'dark skinned' or 'Moor'.

Other variants and spellings of Murrant include Merrand, Murrante, Merrend, Murend, Murrind, Merrind, Murrende, Merrende, Murringe, Myrrint, and Mirrind. The surname is also sometimes spelled as Herrant, meaning 'son of Herraticus', a compound name derived from the Germanic words 'heri' (army) and 'ricus' (power).

In Scotland, the surname is also sometimes spelled as Murand, Murrand, or Murrend. It is thought to be derived from the Old French name 'Morand' which means 'Dark-Haired'. The name is also sometimes spelled as Merrand, Merand, or Merend, which is a variant of the Irish surname McMahon.

Overall, there are many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname Murrant.

Famous people with the name Murrant

• Laura Murrant: English footballer who most recently played for Crystal Palace in the FA Women’s Championship.
• Ian Murrant: British entomologist who founded E.Murrant Holdings Ltd, a crop protection business.
• Peter Murrant: Canadian ice hockey goaltender who played for the National Hockey League's Toronto Maple Leafs from 1954 to 1971.
• Simon Murrant: Professional photographer and founder of Simon Murrant Photography.
• Matt Murrant: British pop singer-songwriter, most prominently known for his theme song for ITV’s drama series, Prime Suspect.
• Travis Murrant: Former Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Dockers in the AFL.
• Ross Murrant: English cricketer Worcestershire County Cricket Club who represented England in the Under-19s World Cup.
• Keith Murrant: Retired British police officer and current chairman of the Independent Police Complaints Commission.
• Ryan Murrant: Professional Tammerboke racing driver who competes in the British Touring Car Championship series.
• Barry Murrant: English actor who has appeared in numerous films and television series including Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, The Dark Knight and more.

Other surnames

MurrahMurray