Including the Westport McGings, Donegal McMonagles, Offaly Murray's, London Davis', Bavarian/East London Fitchens & an ever changing host of ancestors!
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The Murphy surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac Murchaidh"/"Mac Murchadh" (son of "Murchadh") derived from the Irish personal name "Murchadh", which meant sea-warrior or sea-battler. (Muir meaning sea and cath meaning battle)
"Murphy" is the most common surname in Ireland, the fourteenth most common surname in Northern Ireland, the second most common surname in Canada and the fifty-eighth most common surname in the United States
There were clans of Murphys spread throughout ancient Ireland with the province of Leinster being a particular stronghold with Co. Wexford being a leading seat of Murphy Clan power! Interestingly, it is the Munster counties of Kerry and Cork that are now seen as a homeland of the Murphys but this may be more to do with the automatic migration of people as opposed to any planned relocation but our great ancestors.
The name Fitchen comes from a name for a person of iron point which may have been made in reference to a soldier or warrior. The surname Fitchen originally derived from the Old English word Fiche which referred to iron point. One source claims that the name could have been Norman in origin from "Fitz or Le Fils." Another claims the name was from "the Flemish, Vits; a personal name."
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