Recorded in several spellings including Morday, Mordey, Mordie, Mordy, Moreday, and possibly others, this is an English surname. There are several possible origins which include a diminutive spelling of the popular medieval female name 'Maud', to translate as 'son of Maud, or from Murdie or Murdey, early diminutives of the Scottish surname McMurdo, or from Marthy, an early medieval nickname form of Martin. Another strong possibility is a short or fused form of the English surname Merriday. This was a name originally given as a personal name to a child born on a feast day or holiday, a day on which the populace 'made merry.' In its varied spellings this surname is well recorded in the surviving church registers of the city of London from the time of King Charles 1st (1625 - 1649), and known to history as 'The Martyr'. These recordings include examples such as Robertii Morday and his wife Annae, spellings which indicate that the cleric was a Latin scholar. They were christening witnesses at the famous church of St Martins in the Field, Westminster, on March 22nd 1645. Others include John Mordey and his wife Elizabeth, who were witnesses at St Giles Cripplegate, on April 16th 1669, and William Mordie and his wife Elizabeth, witnesses at St Pancras Old Church, on May 27th 1849. Over the centuries spelling has been at best erratic and local dialects very thick. This has lead to a continual development of most surnames sometimes to the point where they bear little resemblance to their original spelling.

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