Where the Murphy name comes from

Murphy means sea warrior. It is the anglicised form of two Irish surnames, O Murchadha, descendant of Murchadh, and Mac Murchaidh, son of Murchadh, and that personal name is built from muir, sea, and cath, battle. The O'Murphys were one of the chief families of the Ui Ceinnselaig. Murrough is the English spelling of the same personal name, which is why some Murphys trace back to a Murrough rather than to a Murchadh.