Guild of One-Name Studies
One-name studies, Genealogy
Study: Murduck
Category: 3 - A study where research using core genealogical datasets and transcriptions is well under way on a global basis.
Website: www.murduck.net
DNA website: familytreedna.com/public/Murdock
Contact: Mr Bruce Murduck
The earliest instance of MURDUCK as a distinctive surname is found in records from west central England, which date from the late 1500s. The surname appears to have been in use across several generations, before morphing into the more common MURDOCK, a process which seems to have been complete in this area by about the time of the English Civil War.
A large family group, members of which can today be found in England, Canada, and the USA, can be traced to a point of origin in Essex County, England, in the mid-1600s.
Two large family groups using this surname can be traced throughout the United States, with currently known points of origin in upstate New York, about 1785, and in Bedford County, Virginia, in about the same time.
Of course, records concerning members of other smaller family groups, and many individuals who have used or been given this distinctive surname spelling can also be found in records across a broad expanse of space and time - in England, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the United States of America, Australia, and New Zealand.
There are hints that the name is re-surfacing in the area around Greater London, England, today, from a group possibly of Iranian origin.
Prior to the appearance of MURDUCK as a distinctive surname in records from west central England, which date from the late 1500s, derivatives like MORDAC, MORDOC and MURDOC have been found in records extending back through the Middle Ages.
The Murdock (and variations) Family Tree & DNA Linkage Project was launched in 2008. While focusing more broadly on a wider range of surname spellings as found in the MARDOCK - MUDDOCK - MURDICK - MURDOCH - MURDOCK - MURDUCK - MUTTOX grouping, the Project hopes to use DNA coding results to break down barriers to understanding that exist because of incomplete or missing paper records. Growth in the number of participants in the DNA component of our study of almost 1000% has been experienced since 2008.
A fairly complete list of surname spelling variations which fall within Project parameters, Project goals and DNA data associated with Project participants to date, can be found at http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Murdock/. If you have one of the surnames that falls within our Project parameters, please consider participating yourself. Contact the study coordinator, through the email link below, for answers to questions or for more information about the Project.
Please give serious consideration to joining our Project. The more who participate, the broader will become our knowledge.
Details about The Murdock (and variations) Family Tree & DNA Linkage Project can be found at http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Murdock/. Please consider joining us!