Before closing this chapter on the origins of the family and name of Muirhead, the entry for the name Muirhead in Black’s The Surnames Of Scotland, should be noted:(1.21) Black’s reference work is a highly respected source of public documents, being purely a compendium of references found in public sources rather than family traditions.
| MUIRHEAD, MOREHEAD. From one or other of the many localities of the name in the southern counties, perhaps from Muirhead in the barony of Bothwell. The lands and town of Mureheid in the diocese of Ross are mentioned in 1576 (RPC.), but the surname is not likely to have originated there. The first of the name in record is said to have been Sir William Muirhead of Lachope, end of fourteenth century. Probably the same person as William de Murehede who witnessed a charter of lands of Cranshaws in 1401 (Swinton, p. xvii). Andrew Morheid was assizer at Lanark in 1432 (RAA., II 65), David de Murhed, cleric in diocese of Glasgow, is recorded in 1471 (REG., 395), Ricardus Mwreheid, canon of Dunkeld, 1484 (RAA., 11, p. 211) may be Richard Murhede, dean of Glasgow in 1491 (APS., II, p. 270), Wilyame of Murehede is recorded in 1484 (Peebles, 31), and Thomas Murhede was parson of Lyne in 1504 (Trials, I, p. * 43). Thomas Mureheid, quarryman at Dunkeld, 1507-15, appears in record as Moirhed, Moirheid, and Mored (Rent. Dunk.), David Muirheyd was assizer in Gowane (Govan) in 1527 (Pollok, I. p. 258), and David Mourheid was merchant burgess of Dumfries, 1668 (Inqis., 938). In common speech pronounced Murheed. Mooreheld 1624, Morheid 1691, Mureheid 1620, Muirhed 1513, Murehed 1503, Muyrheid 1498, Mwirheid 1577, Mwreheid 1484, Mwrhed 1493, Mwrheid, Mwrhied, and Mwrheyd 1522. |
