Origin of Moran name:  extract from Wikipedia:
 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, translated as Big One. 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) "more-in", an  anglicized approximate of the Irish pronunciation. Elsewhere, pronunciation follows the French  surname, Morant, anglicized to (phonetically) "more-anne".[1] There are many different crests of  Moran, many bearing 3 stars and the motto Lucent in tenebris, Latin for "They shine in darkness" . [2] Another crest, attributed to the family of a Moran family living in Ballina, Co. 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")  Another website (Surname Database) attributes this crest to a  branch of the Morans in Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim.  Acknowledgement to Hugh Moran for the following  information: The first settlers in Ireland came from the Basque region of Spain.  Moran is  also a fairly common name in the Castille region of Spain.
 The Moran family we are dealing with here were originally O'Muchroin of Mayo , sub Celtic  Chieftons to the O'Dowds. The name O'Muchroin later anglicized to Moran. The Mayo Moran's to whom  we are distantly related became Protestant so as to keep their land. Edward Moran always  maintained good Protestant relations because of his Mayo family connections . Edwards uncle (another Edward) was instrumental in securing a plot of land in Dromahaire (from the Lane-Fox  family)to build the Catholic Church on . He is mentioned in a poem written by a travelling poet on  the day the church opened in Dromahaire. The same Edward hosted a banquet at the Abbey Hotel(owned  by him)that day too.