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Murdoch Family History

Murdoch Name Meaning

Scottish: from an Anglicized form of the Gaelic personal names Muireadhach ‘mariner’ Murchadh ‘sea-warrior’ and Muircheartach ‘sea-ruler’ the first element in each being muir ‘sea’. The personal name was introduced into Yorkshire and Normandy by Norsemen from Ireland as early as the 10th century. The surname in post-Conquest medieval England usually belongs to Norman families.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Murdock, Muldoon, Burich, Roch, Urich, Mardock, March, Murdick

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Murdoch family from?

You can see how Murdoch families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Murdoch family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Murdoch families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1911 there were 60 Murdoch families living in Ontario. This was about 35% of all the recorded Murdoch's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Murdoch families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Murdoch surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Murdoch ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Murdoch. 36% of Murdoch men worked as a Farmer and 42% of Murdoch women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Murdoch were Clerk and Bookkeeper. .

View Census Data for Murdoch | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    36%
  • Labourer
    10%
  • Carpenter
    9%
  • Clerk
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Housewife
    42%
  • Servant
    18%
  • Stenographer
    18%
  • Bookkeeper
    12%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Murdoch family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 97,000 census records available for the last name Murdoch. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Murdoch census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Murdoch

Passenger Lists

There are 19,000 immigration records available for the last name Murdoch. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Murdoch immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Murdoch. For the veterans among your Murdoch ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Murdoch military records

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What is the average Murdoch lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Murdoch life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1995. The average life expectancy for Murdoch in 1954 was 59, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Murdoch

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