Regular flooding of the land in Ireland is ever with us, and indeed is nothing new as ancient placenames throughout the country clearly indicate. Currach, "a wet bog, a marsh", on its own and combined with other elements, names at least 300 places in the country, and Eanach, "marsh, swamp, fen", anglicised Annagh - is found in excess of 350 places. Annagh on its own names over 50 townlands. Anny refers, not to some female, but is another rendering of that same Irish word.
However, the female personal name Ann(e) - wife or daughter of some landowners - is commemorated in a number of townland names. There is Annesgrove in Co Cork; Annesgift in Co Tipperary; Annefield in Cos Cork, Dublin, Mayo and Kilkenny (Pairc Anna); Anneville in Co Laois (alias Clonard), and Anneville in Co Westmeath (alias Rathduff).
Then there is Annfield in Cos Dublin, Tipperary and Kilkenny (Pairc Anna), and Annestown in Co Waterford (Bun Abha). Annesborough names townlands in Cos Kildare, Kilkenny and Down, the latter being gaelicised Baile Anna. Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland(1876), however, gives Dromaragh as its alias. Now spelled Dromara, this names a town, a townland, and a parish in Co Down. Rendered Drummara on Taylor & Skinner's Maps of the Roads of Ireland, published in 1778, it was then the residence of the Rev Mr Brush. However, it was named Anneborough in the 1814 Directory, being the residence of James Morland, esquire.
William Murland, esquire, was at Clarkhill, in the same locality of Co Down.
Moreland (moor/fen-land) gave rise to the English county name Westmoreland, and the surname Moreland derives from this placename. Mac Lysaght's The Surnames of Ireland informs that this English surname is associated with Co Down. It was also spelled Morland and Murland.
Two of the listed subscribers to Lewis's 1837 Topographical Dictionary of Ireland were James Moreland, esq, Carnbane, Co Antrim, and Henry Murland, esq, Castlewellan, Co Down. `Wood Lodge' and `Annsbro' were given as Murland residences. He of "Annsbro" had built and endowed a schoolhouse "for the gratuitous instruction of children". Of Castlewellan, Lewis informs: "The bleaching of linen, which is the principal trade of the place, was first introduced here by Mr Moffat, in 1749, since which time it has greatly increased, and several large bleaching-greens have been established.
"Those of Mr Murland are capable of bleaching and finishing 20,000 pieces annually . . . "
This mill, established at Annsborough in 1828 by James and William Murland, was the first in Ulster to successfully adopt wet-spinning, permitting the finest yarns to be machine-spun. There had been 450 employed here but the new technique shifted from domestic to a mechanised factory.
The half-dozen Murlands in the phone book of Northern Ireland are in Cos Down and Antrim, but also are listed almost 100 Morelands. In 1876, when Owners of Land of One Acre and Upwards was published, the four Murland landholdings were in Co Down. Apart from two small holdings there was the 2,237 acres of Samuel Murland, Castlewellan, and the 139 acres of J.W. - also of Castlwellan.
There were five small Moreland holdings in that county but the largest Moreland holding in the country was that of William J.H., Rabelus Hall, Tomgraney, Co Clare. Next was the 891 Co Cork acres of Mrs Amelia Moreland, Benburb, Co Tyrone; followed by John Moreland, Raheen Park, Scariff, with 675 Co Kerry acres, and the 468 Co Cork acres of W. J. H. Moreland, Raheen Manor, Scariff, Co Clare.
A surprising companion surname also associated with Co Down is Mac Murghalain which Woulfe's Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall speculates may be Scottish, being a diminutive of Murghal, sea-valour. It has been anglicised MacMurlan, Murland, Murtland, Mortland, and Moreland. Mac Lysaght merely quotes Woulfe, adding nothing to this scant information. De Bhulbh's Sloinnte na hEireann/ Irish Surnames also quotes Woulfe, but giving the Irish as both an O and a Mac name. It does not seem likely that there is any way of determining which of the current Murlands/Morelands bears the Irish name and which the English.