Moran ( surname ) - wikipedia Moran ( surname ) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( May 2008 ) Moran Family name Meaning `` the big or great chieftain '' Region of origin Ireland Related names Ó Móráin Moran ( Irish : Ó Móráin ) is a modern Irish surname and derived from membership of a medieval dynastic sept. The name means a descendent of Mórán. `` Mor '' in Gaelic translates as big or great and `` an '' as the prefix the. 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 / ˈmɒrən / MORR - ən anglicised approximate of the Irish pronunciation. Elsewhere, pronunciation follows the French surname, Morant, anglicised to / məˈræn / mə - RAN or / mɒˈræn / morr - AN. There are many different crests of Moran, many bearing three stars and the motto Lucent in tenebris, Latin for `` They shine in darkness ''. Another crest, attributed to the family of a Moran family living in Ballina, County Mayo, is described thus : `` Azure on a mount proper, two lions combatant or, holding between them a flagstaff also proper, therefrom a flag argent ; a crest : out of amural crown, a demi - saracen, head in profile, all proper ; and a motto : ' Fides non timet. ' '' ( This motto translates as `` Faith does not fear '' or `` The Faithful Fear Not ''. ) The majority bearers of this surname 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 organisation. 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. Contents 1 People named Moran 2 Fictional characters 3 See also 4 References People named Moran Bill Moran ( disambiguation ) Brad Moran ( AFL ) ( born 1986 ), Australian rules football player Brian Moran ( born 1959 ), American politician Bugs Moran ( 1891 -- 1957 ), Chicago prohibition - era gangster Caitlin Moran ( born 1975 ), British writer and journalist Charles Moran ( baseball ) ( 1879 -- 1934 ), American baseball player Charley Moran ( 1878 -- 1949 ), American baseball player and football coach Chris Moran ( 1956 -- 2010 ), Royal Air Force officer Chris Moran ( ice hockey ) ( born 1987 ), American ice hockey player Colin Moran ( disambiguation ) Crissy Moran ( born 1975 ), American former pornographic actress & model Daniel Keys Moran ( born 1962 ), American computer programmer and science fiction writer David Moran ( disambiguation ) Denis Moran ( Gaelic footballer ) ( born 1956 ), Irish Gaelic football player Dennis Moran ( computer criminal ) ( 1982 -- 2013 ), American computer Dennis Moran ( rugby league ) ( born 1977 ), British rugby league Diana Moran ( born 1939 ), British model, fitness expert and journalist Dolores Moran ( 1926 -- 1982 ), American film actress and model Dov Moran ( born c. 1956 ), Israeli engineer, inventor and businessman Dylan Moran ( born 1971 ), Irish comedian, writer, actor and film - maker Earl Moran ( 1893 -- 1984 ), American pin - up and glamour artist Edward Moran ( disambiguation ) Ellen Moran ( born 1967 ), American politician Emilio Moran, American anthropologist Erin Moran ( 1960 -- 2017 ), American actress Frank Moran ( 1887 -- 1967 ), American boxer and film actor Gayle Moran ( fl. 1970s ), British musician Gussie Moran ( 1923 -- 2013 ), American tennis player Hap Moran ( 1901 -- 1994 ), American professional football player Herbert Moran ( 1885 -- 1945 ), Australian rugby union player Ian Moran ( born 1972 ), American professional ice hockey player Ian Moran ( born 1979 ), Australian cricketer Jack Moran ( disambiguation ) Jackie Moran ( 1923 -- 1990 ), American movie actor James Moran ( disambiguation ) Jason Moran ( 1967 -- 2003 ), Australian criminal Jason Moran ( musician ) ( born 1975 ), American jazz pianist Jerry Moran ( born 1954 ), United States Senator from Kansas Jim Moran ( disambiguation ) Joe Moran, British social and cultural historian John Moran ( disambiguation ) Judy Moran ( born 1944 ), matriarch of Australian criminal family Julie Moran ( born 1962 ), American television personality Kenneth Moran ( c. 1919 -- 1946 ), New Zealand boxer Kevin Moran ( disambiguation ) Lewis Moran ( 1941 -- 2004 ), Australian criminal Lindsay Moran ( born 1969 ), American former Central Intelligence Agency officer, now a writer Lois Moran ( 1909 -- 1990 ), American actress Malcolm Moran, American sports writer Margaret Moran ( born 1955 ), British politician Margarita Moran - Floirendo ( born 1953 ), Filipino former Miss Universe, peace advocate Mark Moran ( disambiguation ) Matt Moran, Australian chef Mayo Moran ( born 1959 ), dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Toronto Michael Moran ( disambiguation ) Michelle Moran ( born 1980 ), American novelist Mike Moran ( music producer ) ( born 1948 ), English keyboard musician and producer Montgomery Moran ( born 1966 ), American businessman ( co-CEO - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. ) Nancy Moran, American singer and songwriter Nick Moran ( born 1968 ), British actor Paddy Moran ( disambiguation ) Pat Moran ( disambiguation ) Patrick Moran ( disambiguation ) Paul Moran ( disambiguation ) Pauline Moran ( born 1947 ), English actress Peggy Moran ( 1918 -- 2002 ), American film actress Percy Moran ( 1862 -- 1935 ), American artist Peter K. Moran ( 1767 -- 1831 ), Irish composer and pianist Polly Moran ( 1883 -- 1952 ), American actress and comedian Rachel Moran ( born 1976 ), Irish feminist activist and author Reid Venable Moran ( 1916 -- 2010 ), American botanist and museum curator Richard Moran ( disambiguation ) Robert Moran ( born 1937 ), American composer Robert Moran ( shipbuilder ) ( 1857 -- 1943 ), American shipbuilder Rocky Moran ( born 1950 ), American race car driver Roger Moran, British hillclimb driver Ronnie Moran ( 1934 -- 2017 ), British football coach Sam Moran ( born 1978 ), Australian entertainer Sean Moran ( born 1973 ), American football player Shawn Moran ( born 1961 ), American speedway rider Simon Moran, British concert promoter Shlomo Moran ( born 1947 ), Israeli computer scientist Steve Moran ( born 1961 ), English football player Terry Moran ( born 1959 ), American journalist Terry Moran ( public servant ) ( born 1947 ), senior official in the Australian Public Service Thomas Moran ( disambiguation ) Tom Moran ( disambiguation ) Tony Moran, American remixer, producer and singer - songwriter Tony Moran ( actor ) ( born 1957 ), American actor and producer William Joseph Moran ( 1906 -- 1996 ), American Roman Catholic bishop William L. Moran ( 1921 -- 2000 ), American Assyriologist Fictional characters Alex Moran, principal character in the Spike TV series Blue Mountain State Blake Moran, main character of the TV series Madam Secretary who is also played by a Jewish actor. Jacques Moran, second narrator and seeker of the eponymous Molloy in the novel by Samuel Beckett Lucy Moran, character in Twin Peaks Michael Moran, the central character in John McGahern 's novel Amongst Women Moran, a female Irish Quidditch player in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Pamela Moran, a main character from the TV series Army Wives Sebastian Moran, Moriarty 's henchman in the Sherlock Holmes short story `` The Adventure of the Empty House '' Summer Moran, a recurring character in Clive Cussler 's novels featuring Dirk Pitt Simon Moran, a main character in `` The Returned '' series. See also Moeran Moran family Morán Fernando Morán ( disambiguation ) Morin ( disambiguation ) References ^ Jump up to : Jones, Daniel ; Gimson, Alfred C. ( 1977 ) ( 1917 ). Everyman 's English Pronunciation Dictionary. Everyman 's Reference Library ( 14 ed. ). London : J.M. Dent & Sons. ISBN 0 - 460 - 03029 - 9. Jump up ^ Etymology of Last Names Jump up ^ Motto and Crest Jump up ^ http://genforum.genealogy.com/moran/messages/1264.html Jump up ^ http://www.irishgathering.ie/clan_info.asp?clanID=843 Jump up ^ http://celticowboy.com/Appiii.htm This page lists people with the surname Moran. If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person 's given name ( s ) to the link. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moran_(surname)&oldid=805989723 '' Categories : Surnames Irish families Surnames of Irish origin Hidden categories : EngvarB from July 2016 Use dmy dates from July 2016 Articles needing additional references from May 2008 All articles needing additional references Articles containing Irish - language text All set index articles Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 18 October 2017, at 22 : 59. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: where did the last name moran come from
Answer: Morans were a respected sept of the Uí Fiachrach dynasty in the western counties of Mayo and Sligo