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Moran Name History

Moran Coat of Arms

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There are many different crests of Moran, all bearing 3 stars and the motto, Lucent in Tenebris, Latin for "They shine in darkness."Moran is a modern Irish surname and derived from membership of a medieval dynastic sept. The name means a "descendent of Mórán," translated as "big one."

The Morans in Ireland

Morans were a respected sept of the Uí Fiachrach dynasty in the western counties of Mayo and Sligo. In Ireland, where the name descended from the Gaelic, it is generally pronounced phonetically as "more-in." Elsewhere, pronunciation follows the French surname, Morant, anglicized to phonetically as "more-anne".

Most Morans in County Mayo are descended from the Ó Móráin sept whose ancient kingdom was in north Mayo, surrounding the modern town of Ballina. Following the Norman invasion, their territory was usurped by the Barretts and Burkes and the sept lost its central organization. The modern distribution of the surname within Mayo suggests that the Morans spread southwards and today are chiefly found in the central area of the county, particularly in the barony of Carra. There is also a small village in Monaghan named "Moran" meaning abode of "The Great One" the leader of the Celts.

Variant spellings of the Irish surname Moran may include O'Moran, Murrin, Murran and others.

Learn more about the Moran family name

For more information about the Morans, see the Framed Irish Family Name History, (#1760).

The Irish Rose offers many Moran coat of arms products, from clothing to glassware to framed coat of arms heirlooms. Please visit the Irish Coat of Arms page.

Is there a Moran Pub in Ireland?

We found more than one Moran Pub in Ireland. Make sure you visit one of them on your next trip to Ireland!

If you can't visit a Moran's in person, our personalized pub gifts are the next best thing!

Notable people named Moran

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