Murrell

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family name of English origin, borne by many people and associated with the 19th-century outlaw John Murrell
2. A surname of English origin shared by numerous individuals, notably the American outlaw John A. Murrel of the 1830s
3. A proper noun used as a family name, often linked to the Mississippi outlaw and gang leader of the early 1800s

Etymology: "Murrell" is a variant of "Muriel," the English given name that comes from the Celtic name Muirgel, a compound of elements meaning "sea" and "bright" or "shining." The name reached English through Old French forms of the Irish and Breton tradition, and "Murrell" is simply one of its spelling variants, with the same root meaning carried over. Because it is a spelling variant rather than a separate word, "Murrell" works as a personal name and occasionally as a surname, where it may have developed as a family name in its own right. Its meaning and origin are therefore those of "Muriel" itself.