The Murdock surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 19,873 people carried this name — #1,804 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 14,800 people counted. That is up 4% from 19,041 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Murdock surname

Scottish surname, Anglicized from the Scottish Gaelic name Muireadhach (“mariner”), Murchadh (“sea-warrior”), Muircheartach (“sea-ruler”), all having as the first element of muir (“sea”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Murdock» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Murdoch’.

His entry covers Murdoch and Murdock.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 547 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 30 births for the Murdock name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,300 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 27
Leinster 2
Munster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

110 families named Murdock, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 608 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 9 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 23
Massachusetts 22
New York 13
North Carolina 12
Vermont 11
Maryland 11
Connecticut 10
South Carolina 5
Virginia 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 254 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Murdock in American newspapers,
1900–1919.

Newspaper page from Evening Journal carrying the name Murdock
Evening Journal 1919-11-18
Newspaper page from The Bourbon News carrying the name Murdock
The Bourbon News 1900-08-17
Newspaper page from The Bourbon News carrying the name Murdock
The Bourbon News 1900-08-31

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 158,581 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Murdock in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

15,662 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Murdock. The most, 2,812, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in South Australia, at 2.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,318
South Australia 3,687
Queensland 2,893
Victoria 2,578
Western Australia 1,659
Tasmania 457
ACT (Canberra) 35
Northern Territory 11

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Murdock.

Who carried it

People named Murdock,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Julia Murdock d. 1854
  • Benezer Murdock d. 1747
  • Jackson Murdock 1635–1719
  • Robert Murdock 1663–1754
  • Hannah Stedman 1665–1727
  • Hannah Murdock 1692–1693

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Murdock,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,136 records

2,136 records of the Murdock name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 648
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 424
  • Other U.S. records 1,064
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Stanley Murdock

    Born 1948; from Chicago, Illinois. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam. Buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Dean I. Murdock

    Born 1916 in Kansas. Enlisted 1943 at Fort Thomas Newport, Kentucky; compositor. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Liz Murdock

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the City of Rome from Glasgow and Moville, aged 22; servant. From Antrim, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,136 records for Murdock in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia775 records

775 records of the Murdock name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 453
  • Tasmanian Names Index 145
  • Other Australian records 177
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Hugh Murdock

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Hooghley, arriving 1825; ticket of leave 1830.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Rebecca Murdock

    Arrived in Victoria in 1859 aboard the Miriam, aged 5; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Edward A. H. Murdock

    Retired of Bairnsdale, Victoria; died 1974.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 775 records for Murdock in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada344 records

344 records of the Murdock name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 257
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 24
  • Other Canadian records 63
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Murdock

    Came to Ontario in 1881 aboard the Manitoban, landing at Halifax, bound for Delhi, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Martha Murdock

    Buried in 1960 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 65.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Catherine Ann Murdock

    Died 1941 in Sherbrooke, Guysborough, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 344 records for Murdock in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom17 records

17 records of the Murdock name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 11
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 5
  • Stirling Council burial records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Harriot Murdock

    Buried in 1797 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 20.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record E. Murdock

    Corporal, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Eleanor Murdock

    Buried in 1847 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 36.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 17 records for Murdock in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand9 records

9 records of the Murdock name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 5
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record David Murdock

    Died 1981, aged 78; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Helen Murdock

    Buried in 1913 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 39.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Thomas Murdock

    Died 1963, aged 73; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Murdock in New Zealand.

Counts: Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands9 records

9 records of the Murdock name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 7
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Stanley Murdock

    Married in 1945 in Vught.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Lynn Nymphas Murdock

    In the population register of Utrecht; born in Heber, United States.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Joyce Murdock

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born in Washington.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Murdock in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Murdock.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Murdock is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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