Ulster Scots / Gaelic

Morrison

Mac Muiris / Ó Muirgheasáin

“son of Maurice / descendant of Muirgheasán”

🏔 Antrim · Aontroim 🏔 Down · An Dún 🏔 Derry / Londonderry · Doire

The sept's historic heartland, highlighted. People moved — a name can be found far from home.

The story

Hebridean bard-family Ó Muirgheasáin on one side, Scots planters on the other — and Belfast's Van Morrison singing both traditions into one.

Their world Around 1610 — The Plantation of Ulster. In September 1607 the earls O'Neill and O'Donnell board a ship at Rathmullan.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Mac Muiris
Mac — son of (Mc is the same word, contracted)
Muiris — the ancestor, trade or place the name is built on
Ó Muirgheasáin
Ó — descendant of (originally grandson of)
Muirgheasáin — the ancestor, trade or place the name is built on

Find this form in the Irish-to-English index → · What Ó and Mac actually mean

Is Morrison an Irish name?

Morrison has two separate origins. A Gaelic sept and an incoming family ended up with the same English spelling, and they are not related — which one you belong to is a question the surname cannot answer, only the records can.

The five answers, and why it is rarely yes or no →

From Wikipedia — “Morrison (surname)”

The etymology of the surname Morrison is either Anglo-Norman, commonly found throughout Scotland, Ireland and England, or from an Anglicization of Irish Ó Muirgheasáin.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Bell · Antrim, Down Campbell · Antrim, Down Craig · Antrim, Derry / Londonderry Ferguson · Antrim, Down Graham · Down, Antrim Jenkins · Antrim, Down Johnston · Down, Antrim Magee · Antrim, Down McKeown · Antrim, Down Mitchell · Antrim, Down Mulholland · Derry / Londonderry, Antrim Stewart · Antrim, Derry / Londonderry Thompson · Antrim, Down Wilson · Antrim, Down

Quick answers

Is Morrison an Irish name?

What does the surname Morrison mean?

Morrison (Irish: Mac Muiris / Ó Muirgheasáin) means “son of Maurice / descendant of Muirgheasán”. Origin: Ulster Scots / Gaelic.

Where in Ireland is the surname Morrison from?

The historic homeland of the Morrison name is Antrim, Down, Derry / Londonderry. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for Morrison?

Mac Muiris / Ó Muirgheasáin.

Looking for the Morrison family crest? Read this first — arms belong to people, not surnames, and the honest version is more interesting. Tracing Morrison ancestors? The step-by-step guide.

Not your spelling? Try the full A–Z. Know more about the Morrison name? Add to the story.