2000
#58
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 300,501
First available Census row
Per 100,000 111.39
Common Last name
Murphy
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Murchadha," meaning "descendant of Murchadh" (sea warrior).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 341,778 Americans carry the last name Murphy. That puts it at #65 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 99.72 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,003 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Murphy surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Murphy with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
342K
1 in 1,003
Census rank
#65
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
99.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
298K
common in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 298,047 bearers of the surname Murphy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 99.72 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 65th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Murphy, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.5%. The next largest groups are Black (11.2%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Murphy
The surname Murphy is of Irish origin and can be traced back to the ancient Gaelic name Ó Murchadha, meaning "descendant of Murchadh." Murchadh was a personal name derived from the word "muir," meaning sea, and "cath," meaning battle, suggesting a possible meaning of "sea warrior."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Murphy surname dates back to the 10th century when it appeared in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient Irish chronicle. The name was particularly prominent in the counties of Wexford, Carlow, and Kilkenny, where various septs (clans) of the Murphy family held lands and influence.
In medieval times, the Murphy clan played a significant role in Irish history. One notable figure was Diarmaid Mac Murchadha, also known as Dermot MacMurrough, who was the King of Leinster in the 12th century. His involvement in a conflict with the High King of Ireland, Roderic O'Connor, led to the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169, which had lasting consequences for the island's history.
Another historically significant Murphy was Domhnall Ó Murchadha, who served as the Bishop of Lismore in the 14th century. He was known for his efforts in promoting education and the establishment of schools in his diocese.
In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, many Murphy families were dispossessed of their lands and forced to relocate to other parts of the country. This led to the widespread distribution of the name across Ireland.
Over the centuries, the Murphy surname has been anglicized and has evolved through various spellings, including O'Murchadha, O'Murchadh, O'Murchu, and Murchoe, before settling on the more familiar form of Murphy.
Notable individuals with the Murphy surname throughout history include:
1. Audie Murphy (1924-1971), an American soldier and actor who became one of the most decorated U.S. soldiers during World War II.
2. Gerard Murphy (1888-1964), an American painter and patron of the arts, known for his support of the American avant-garde movement.
3. John Murphy (1786-1843), an Irish mathematician and chemist who made significant contributions to the field of optics.
4. Patrick Murphy (1920-2011), an Irish politician and Fianna Fáil party leader who served as the Minister for Local Government and Minister for Economic Planning and Development.
5. Robert Murphy (1924-2018), an American diplomat and author who served as the U.S. Ambassador to various countries, including Saudi Arabia and Syria.
The Murphy surname has been widely dispersed across the globe, reflecting the Irish diaspora, and continues to hold a strong cultural significance as a testament to its rich historical roots.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Murphy
Among Census respondents with the surname Murphy, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.5%. The next largest groups are Black (11.2%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Murphy bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Murphy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.5% · 240,008
- Black or African American11.2% · 33,271
- Two or more races3.6% · 10,592
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 10,279
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 2,158
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1,739
Timeline
Historical Census data for Murphy
Murphy appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#64
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 308,417
+7,916 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 104.56
Rank movement Down 6 places
2020
#65
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 298,047
-10,370 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 99.72
Rank movement Down 1 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #58 | 300,501 | 111.39 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #64 | 308,417 | 104.56 | +7,916 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 6 places |
| 2020 | #65 | 298,047 | 99.72 | -10,370 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 1 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Murphy surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #64 | #65 | -1.6% |
| Count | 308,417 | 298,047 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 104.56 | 99.72 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Murphy bearers went from 308,417 to 298,047 (-3.4% change). The surname moved down 1 positions in the national ranking, going from #64 to #65.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Murphy
FAQ
Murphy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Murphy?
Name Census estimates that about 341,778 living Americans carry the surname Murphy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,003 residents.
How common is Murphy?
Murphy ranks #65 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Common." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 99.72 per 100,000 residents, which is about 100 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 298,047 people with the surname Murphy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (341,778), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 99.72 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 99.72 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 100 of them to have the surname Murphy.
Has Murphy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Murphy went from 308,417 recorded bearers to 298,047. That is a decrease of 10,370 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #64 to #65.
What does the Census say about the background of Murphy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Murphy, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.5%. The next largest groups are Black (11.2%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Murphy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.5% (240,008 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Murphy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.5%), Black (11.2%), Two or More Races (3.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Murphy (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Murphy mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Murchadha," meaning "descendant of Murchadh" (sea warrior). The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Murphy (99.72 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Murphy?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Murphy on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.