Irish
Murphy Tartans & Clan
The name murphy is the most popular name in Ireland, the fourteenth most common surname in Northern Ireland, and the fifty-eighth most common surname in the United States. This name is derived from two distinct Gaelic septs. The first of these was O'Murchadha and the second was MacMurchadha, meaning ‘sea-warrior’. This has led historians to believe the name comes from the Vikings as this was around the time Vikings ruled Ireland.
Murphy Tartans
1 variationsEach tartan can have multiple variations, the most common of which are Ancient, Modern, Weathered, Hunting and Dress
About tartan variations
- Ancient
- Modern
- Weathered
- Hunting
- Dress
Ancient Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans, mossy greens and sky blues, a more orangey red and some would say showing off the pattern to much greater effect as as the contrasts are much brighter than the Modern tartans. The pattern or sett remains the same across all variations of a single tartan, and only the shades or tones vary.
Helpful Advice
Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Modern Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer colours typical of the Ancient tartans. Post 1860 chemical dyes replaced the natural animal and vegetable dyes and the Modern Tartans were born with their stronger and bolder colours. The soft greens and blues become bottle green and navy blue, reds are scarlet.
Helpful Advice
The Modern tartans are often the more subtle combinations such as the classic Black Watch Modern
Weathered Tartan
Before 1860 fabrics were coloured using animal and vegetable dyes. This produced the softer, more earthy colours typical of the Weathered tartans, reminiscent of bolder colours subjected to wind, rain and sunshine producing beautiful faded tones, olive greens and browns, and very light blues with reds that are more pink than red.
Helpful Advice
Some mills refer to the Weathered tartans as Muted.
Hunting Tartan
The Hunting Tartans are the camouflage tartans and some clans don't have these variations because they are already predominantly green or brown and don't need amendment to blend in with nature's colours. The Black Watch or Gunn tartans are examples of these, whereas a tartan such as the Fraser is predominantly red and would not provide much cover for men out hunting.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
Dress Tartan
The Dress Tartans were designed as the name suggests for celebrations and highland dance. The sett or pattern of the tartan remains the same and the main colour is changed to white, or extra white is added to the pattern to give it a brighter, more "fancy" appearance. The Scots do like to bend the rules and occasionally instead of white thread, yellow is used and this is where the rather wild MacLeod Dress Modern and Barclay Dress Modern came from.
Helpful Advice
One thing to remember if you are ordering your tartan to match an existing kilt or accessory is that although the sett and colours are the same, there can be a slight difference in colour from one mill to the next. This is purely down to yarn dying so if you need an exact match we suggest you order a swatch to double check.
From the start
Murphy Clan Origins & History
Explore the History
How it all started
The name murphy is the most popular name in Ireland, the fourteenth most common surname in Northern Ireland, and the fifty-eighth most common surname in the United States. This name is derived from two distinct Gaelic septs. The first of these was O'Murchadha and the second was MacMurchadha, meaning ‘sea-warrior’. This has led historians to believe the name comes from the Vikings as this was around the time Vikings ruled Ireland.
what's in the tartan?
The Murphy family tartan is mainly green with red and yellow running throughout.
Diarmaid mac Murchadha
It would be impossible to discuss the history of this hugely popular name without discussing high King of Leinster Murchadha (this name anglicized is Muphy). Murchadha otherwise known as “Diarmait of the foreigners” gained control of the kingdom of Leinster after his brothers’ sudden death. With Murchadha as king, the high kings of Ireland panicked. He sent an army to destroy Murchadha and his people and was successful. Murchadha was finally exiled and fled to Wales, from here he began to gather local allies and offered them great lands in Ireland if they join him in battle against the King. He even offered Richard de Clare marriage to his daughter. There conquest was successful and for the first time the English had a base within Ireland, and they never let go…
The Murphy family motto is Fortiset hospitalus, meaning “Brave and hospitable” and Vincere vel mori, meaning “Victory or death”.
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