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. 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 (phonetically) MOR-ən (/ˈmɒrən/) anglicised approximate of the Irish pronunciation.
Elsewhere, pronunciation follows the French surname, Morant, anglicised to (phonetically) mə-RAN (/məˈræn/) or mo-RAN (/mɒˈræn/). 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.
Bill Moran (disambiguation)
Brad Moran (AFL) (born 1986), Australian rules football player
Brad Moran (ice hockey) (born 1979), Canadian ice hockey 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 (born 1960), 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
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
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 (born 1934), 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
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
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