Clan Morrow

Clan Morrow was a minor lowland Scottish clan.
Origins
The name Morrow is Gaelic, coming from Murchadha and Muireadhach, meaning "sea warrior" and "sea farer" respectively. The Irish historian and genealogist John O'Hart traced them back to ancient Gaelic kings and the first to be recorded with the name were on the Ragman Rolls of 1292, Hugh Morrow of Moray and William Morrow of Bothwell. DNA testing performed on Morrows found that the family is of the "M222 haplogroup" which was most prevailent in the north of Ireland and in lowland Scotland, and would be described as Gaelic.
History
While two Morrows signed the Ragman Rolls, their support (like most who signed the rolls) switched to Robert the Bruce. John Morrow, a follower of The Bruce, was captured by the English in 1333 while defending a castle alongside a Robert Baird, and Alan Morrow signed the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320.
During the battle of Harlaw in 1411, Lowlanders from various clans (including the Morrows) led by Alexander Stewart fought against Highlanders led by Donald MacDonald and Hector Maclean. The Lowlanders were victorious, but among their casualties was Sir Thomas Morrow.
Another Thomas Morrow was the Abbot of Paisley from 1418 to 1444 and his signature was found on an indenture between King James II Stewart and Sir Robert Erskine in 1440. He disliked the English, and on occasion he was joined by his fellow Scots in vehmently attacking their proposals during Church Councils
William Morrow was guardian of Edinburgh castle in 1347. David Morrow was a signatory on a document relating to Archibald Douglas in 1422. Duncan Morrow was a witness to the ordination of Patrick MacDowell in 1503 in Stirling.
During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms a number of Morrows fought in the Covenanter army, and after the battle of Worcester in 1651 Cromwell "transported" 270 Scots prisoners to the Virginia colony. Among these 270 "Scotch prisoners" sent to Virginia were five Morrows; John Morrow, Jonas Morrow, John Morrow, Neil Morrow and James Morrow.
The current Lord Lyon, King of Arms is Dr. Joseph Morrow.
Morrow in Ireland
Most Morrows in the north of Ireland are descended from Scottish settlers, the rest are descended from native Irish families (the most notable of these in the north of Ireland being the descendants of "Murchadh Mag Uidhir" or Morrowe MacGuire, the brother of Donn Mór MacGuire).
The first Morrows in Ulster came with the Hamilton-Montgomery plantation in 1606, with a David Morrow and a Captain Morrow recorded on Hamilton's estates in Killyleagh who had settled there after emigrating from Hamilton's estates in Scotland. Morrows were recorded as among the Scots families on Montgomery's settlements in north Down. These settlers are usually described as "the first Ulster-Scots". During the official Ulster Plantation, most of the Morrows settled in Armagh and Donegal, with some also settling in Derry. These Scots settlers were Presbyterians and became the Scotch-Irish people who, in the 18th century, would emigrate en-masse to America. Jeremiah Morrow, the 9th governor of Ohio (described as of Scotch extraction by Donald J. MacDougall and Charles A. Hanna) was the grandson of Jeremiah Morrow, born in Derry who himself was described as "Irish by birth, Scotch by blood, and Covenanter by religion". Adam Morrow was one of the "Defenders of Derry" during the siege of the city and his signature was found on a letter from the "defenders" to the newly-crowned King William. Many of the names on the letter are of Scottish extraction, for example: Stewart, Morrow, McClelland, Knox, Grigson, Buchanan, and McCulloch to name but a few.
Morrow in America
The most notable directly Scottish-American Morrows are the Kentuckian Thomas Z. Morrow (who was the grandson of Scotsman Thomas Morrow) and his son Edwin P. Morrow, the 40th Governor of Kentucky.
Most Morrows in America are Scotch-Irish, their ancestors first having settled in Ireland before coming to America. Although these Morrows can also be referred to as Irish, without the qualifier Scotch-.

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