MURPHY Names from E.R. SEARY Book of early surname instances in Newfoundland

MURPHY--, a surname of Ireland and Scotland. (O) Murphy, O Murchadha, Ir.
Murchadh--Sea Warrior, or Mac Murphy, Mac Murch ada. Maclysaght notes that
the "resumption of the prefixes O and Mac, which is a modern tendency with
most Gaelic names has not taken place in the case of Murphy", that the
majority of the Murphys in Ulster were probable originally Mac Murphy and
that Murphy is the most common name in Ireland. It occurs in Scotland from
Irish immigration.

In Newfoundland:
Family traditions------from Co. Limerick, settled at Sunny Hill (Ferryland)
(MUN GEOG.) William 1800--60, from Co. Cork, settled at Bird Island Cove
(now Elliston}, about 1820 (Mun Geo.)-------from Northern Ireland, came to
St. John's from Nova Scotia about 1900 (Mun Folklore) ------from Co.
Kilkenny, settled at Dunville-------from Dublin, settled at Kilbride about
1840.

Early instances: William from Ireland, of Fermeuse 1752 (co 194.13); Andrew,
assistant Constable ? Bay Bulls ? 1753 (co. 194.13); M., smith of St. John's
1794--5, "40 years in Newfoundland", that is 1754--5 (census 1794--5);
William, of Harbour Main, 1755
David, fisherman of Quidi Vidi 1794--5, 16 years in Newfoundland, that is
1778--9 (census 1794==5)
Pat., of Bay de Verde 1783
Thomas, of Petty Harbour 1783 (DPHW 26c);
Joseph of Devils (now Job's Cove) 1786
Richard. fisherman of Harbour Grace 1786;
Peter, of Adam's Cove 1788;
John from Dublin, Irish convict landed at Petty Harbour or Bay Bulls 1789;
Stephen ? of Port de Grave 1790;
Arthur of Ferryland 1791;
Maurice of North side Trinity, Trinity Bay 1792;
Patrick of Placentia 1794;
Michael of Chapel's Cove 1796
James from Co. Wicklow married at St. John's 1797;
Maurice of Colliers 1799;
P. and James, Proprietors and occupiers of fishing rooms, Grates Cove,
Winter 1800--01;
James of Trepassey 1802;
James of Kit Hughes (now Kitchuses) 1803;
Walter from Waterford, merchant of St. John's, deceased 1810 (Royal Gazzette
22 Nov. 1810);
James of Conception Harbour 1803
John, one of 72 impressed men who sailed from Ireland to Newfoundland ?
1811.
Thomas from Sutton's Parish (Co Wexford) Shopkeeper of St. John's died 1814
(Royal Gazzette 8 Dec. 1814);
Michael from Open hole (now Open Hall) 1815
James of Bonavista 1815

Captain Peter of King's Cove, 1815;
John of Ragged Harbour (now Melrose) 1815.
William from Dunkate (Co Kilkenny), of St. John's, died 1816;
Edward of New Harbour, Trinity Bay 1818;
Dennis from Co. Cork, married at Plate Cove 1820;
Thomas of Broad Cove (now Duntara) 1820;
John of Catalina, 1820;
Thomas of Tickle Cove, Bonavista Bay, 1821
Honour of Old Perlican 1821
Michael of Riders Harbour, Trinity Bay, 1825
William from Co Kilkenny, married at Bird Island Cove (now Elliston) 1826
Dennis of Gussets Cove (unidentified), married at Harbour Grace,
1828-----from Co Kilkenny married at King's Cove, 1829;
Margaret, from Graigue (unidentified) (Co. Kilkenny), married at Chapels
Cove, 1829;
Thomas of Greenspond, 1829;
Anne of Turks Cove 1829;
Judith of Twillingate, 1829;
James Murphy of Heart's Content 1832;
James Murphy, granted land near middle Long Pond, 1836 (Nfld. Archives,
Registry Crown Lands);
Edward ? of Northern Bay, 1838
John from Co. Wexford, married at Renews 1841 (Dillon);
Patrick, granted land at Gotts Cove, Trinity Harbour 1842 (Nfld Archives,
Registry Crown Lands)
John from Midleton (Co. Cork) of Harbour Grace, 1844
Thomas from Co. Cork, of Brigus 1844 (Indicator 24 August 1844;
John, granted land at San Croie, near Keels, 1848;
John, granted land at Holyrood 1849;
Thomas of Red Clift Island, Bonavista BAY 1850;
Edmond of Stock Cove, Bonavista Bay, 1855;
John opf Keels 1857 (Newfoundlander 22 Oct. 1857) ;
Lawrence, granted land at Barren Island (now Bar Haven) 1857;
James, granted land at Distress (now St. Brides);
Sylvester of Torbay, 1858;
John of Burin 1858;
Johana, of Fortune Harbour 1862;
Patrick of Shoels Cove, B.B. 1863;
James, of Knights Cove, Bonavista Bay 1864;
Jacob of the French Shore, 1868;
John of Bonne Bay 1869; widespread in Lovell 1871;
Richard of Carbonear died 1883 aged 55 years (Carbonear R.C. Cemetary)
James from Co Kilkenny, died at Cape Race 1895 aged 76 years;
Modern status: Widespread, especially in St. John's, Old Petty Harbour Rd,
Open Hall, Bell Island, Crawley's Island, Placentia Bay, Parker's Cove and
Little Bay, Placentia Bay.

Back to MURPHY

Back to PEOPLE

HOME