The Murrell surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 11,347 people carried this name — #3,185 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 26,000 people counted. That is up 7% from 10,600 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Murrell surname

Variant of Muriel.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Murrell» (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 Muriel’.

His entry covers Muriel, Murrell and Murrells.

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

In the first U.S. census, 1790

41 families named Murrell, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 186 people lived in those households, 4.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 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

North Carolina 14
South Carolina 11
Virginia 10
New York 2
New Hampshire 1
Vermont 1
Massachusetts 1
Maryland 1

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

Murrell in American newspapers,
1912–1929.

Newspaper page from South Bend News-times carrying the name Murrell
South Bend News-times 1929-12-01
Newspaper page from The Chanute Times carrying the name Murrell
The Chanute Times 1912-06-28
Newspaper page from The Olneyville Times carrying the name Murrell
The Olneyville Times 1912-09-13

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 42,119 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Murrell in Australian newspapers,
1800s–1990s.

16,583 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Murrell. The most, 3,166, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Victoria, at 1.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 5,644
New South Wales 5,494
Queensland 2,383
Tasmania 1,457
South Australia 1,225
Western Australia 253
ACT (Canberra) 79
Northern Territory 10

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

Who carried it

People named Murrell,
with a public archive behind them.

  • William Murrell
    William Murrell 1853–1912 · physician
  • William Murrell d. 1892 · politician
  • Robert Murrell d. 1943 · explorer
  • Anne Murrell d. 1816
  • James Murrell 1785–1860 · magician
  • James Murrell 1785–1860 · magician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Murrell,
in the records of 5 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 States768 records

768 records of the Murrell name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 333
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 193
  • Other U.S. records 242
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Davie T. Murrell

    Born 1910 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1943 at Camp Forrest; farm hand from Fayette County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1982, buried at Memphis National Cemetery, Tennessee.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1864 aboard the Escort from Liverpool, aged 21; servant. From Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Ervin Jerome Murrell

    Born 1950; from Birmingham, Alabama. U.S. Army, pioneer; killed in action 1970 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 768 records for Murrell in the United States.

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

Australia562 records

562 records of the Murrell name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 200
  • Tasmanian Names Index 163
  • Other Australian records 199
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Angelina Blanche Murrell

    Died 1890 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 29. Will registered in Tasmania in 1890.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 John Murrell

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the General Hewitt, arriving 1814; ticket of leave 1838. Native of Essex.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1885 aboard the Winefred, aged 45; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 562 records for Murrell 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: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); 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).

United Kingdom32 records

32 records of the Murrell name in the United Kingdom
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 19
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 13
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Murrell

    Buried in 1817 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 63.

    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 S. Murrell

    Norfolk 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 Elizabeth Murrell

    Buried in 1851 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 44.

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

Showing 3 of 32 records for Murrell in the United Kingdom.

Counts: MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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).

Canada26 records

26 records of the Murrell name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 8
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 6
  • Other Canadian records 12
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Arthur Murrell

    Killed in 1927 at the Dominion No. 11 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Robert Murrell

    Buried in 1965 at Stamford Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record William James Murrell

    Died in service in 1944.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 26 records for Murrell 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 Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · 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. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Murrell name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 3
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Blanche Marion Murrell

    Died 1908, aged 33; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Frederick John Murrell

    Died 1981, aged 72; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Dorothy May Murrell

    Died 1984, aged 79; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Murrell in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City 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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Murrell.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Murrell 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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