The Irish surname Moran is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Ó Móráin meaning “descendant of Mórán,”  a personal name meaning “great or large.” The name  is mainly found in the western province of Connaught with The original territory of the O'Moran’s  in Elphin, county Galway, and at Ardnaree, county Mayo. Another branch of the sept was located in neighboring county Leitrim. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of O'Morain, which was dated 1559 - in the Elizabethan 'Fiants' for Connacht.