The Murchison sept are descended from Murdoch or Murcha (Gaelic: Murchadh) who in 1362 received a charter for lands in Kintail from David II of Scotland. It is supposed that the Murchisons were long governors of Eilean Donan Castle. In 1563 a dispute arose between the Macraes and the MacLennans over who should hold the honorable post of constable of the castle, and the Mackenzie laird ultimately gave it to the priest John MacMhurchaidh Duhibh (Murchison). This did not suit the MacLennans who later shot Murchison in the buttocks with an arrow. Padraic MacGiolla-Domhnaigh says that the name was also anglicised as Morrow, MacMorrow and Morrowson