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Maurice History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Maurice History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Wales
Ireland

Etymology of Maurice

What does the name Maurice mean?

The Maurice surname comes from an Old French personal name introduced to Britain by the Normans. The Latin version was Mauritius. It is also thought that the name may have been taken on as a nickname for a Moor, or someone of a dark complexion, who was not actually a Moor.

Early Origins of the Maurice family

The surname Maurice was first found in Herefordshire, where tradition, according to the historian Ormerod, finds the family name to be descended from Athelstan Glodrydd, Godson of Athelstan, the King of England who founded the four Royal tribes of Wales, and on his mother's side descended from Caradoc Vriechfras, Lord of Hereford, one of the knights of the Round Table. Descended was Hoedliw Goch ap Rhys, Gwrgenau ap Hoedliw Goch, Grono ap Gwrgenau, Griffith ap Grono, Madoc ap Griffith, Howel ap Madoc, Phillip Dorddu ap Howel, Cadwgan second son of Phillip and so on, to Morys ap Morgan. Descended was Evan Maurice who was the youngest son of Maurice ap Morgan who migrated to Kent, his son Sir William Maurice acquired the estates of the village of Chuston in West Putford.

Early History of the Maurice family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Maurice research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1379, 1552, 1582, 1591, 1593, 1597, 1602, 1604, 1611, 1622, 1626, 1628, 1634, 1647, 1660, 1666, 1668, 1676, 1682, 1690, 1691 and 1702 are included under the topic Early Maurice History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Maurice Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Maurice have included Maurice, Morrice, Morice, Morys and others.

Early Notables of the Maurice family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Sir William Maurice (1552-1622), Welsh politician, Member of Parliament for Carnarvonshire (1593-1597) and (1604-1611), High Sheriff of Caernarvonshire (1582) and High Sheriff of Merionethshire (1591)
David Maurice (1626-1702), a Welsh Anglican priest and translator, Canon of St Asaph in 1666
Henry Maurice (1634-1682), a Welsh Anglican priest who later became an Independent minister
Henry Maurice (c.1647-1691), a Welsh clergyman who became Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity at Oxford University

Maurice World Ranking

In the United States, the name Maurice is the 6,955^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in Quebec, Canada, the name Maurice is ranked the 660^th most popular surname. 2 And in France, the name Maurice is the 245^th popular surname with an estimated 14,861 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Maurice family to Ireland

Some of the Maurice family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Maurice migration to the United States +

Many Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Maurice were found:

Maurice Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Roger Maurice, who arrived in New England in 1631 4
William Maurice, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 4
John Maurice, who arrived in Maryland in 1650 4
Elizabeth Maurice, who arrived in Maryland in 1654 4
George Maurice, who landed in Virginia in 1656 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Maurice Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mr. Louis Maurice, French settler traveling aboard the ship "L'Amitie" arriving in New Orleans, Louisiana on 8th November 1785 5
Samuel Maurice, who arrived in New York in 1795 4
George Maurice, who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1796

Maurice Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Maurice, aged 23, who landed in New York, NY in 1812 4
James Maurice, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 4
Ann Maurice, who settled in New York in 1820
Germain Maurice, who arrived in Texas in 1844 4
Eduard Maurice, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Maurice migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Maurice Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Claude Maurice, son of Jean and Anne, who married Madeleine Dumouchel, daughter of Bernard and Jeanne, in Montreal, Quebec on 18th May 1699 6

Maurice Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Charles-Marie Maurice, son of Claude and Madeleine, who married Catherine Cardinal, daughter of Jacuqes and Louise, in Montreal, Quebec on 3rd November 1723 6
Joseph Maurice, son of Claude and Madeleine, who married Angélique Chevalier, daughter of Jacques-François and Élisabeth, in Longue-Pointe, Quebec in 1726 6
René Maurice, son of Claude and Madeleine, who married Marie-Anne Heurtebise, daughter of Pierre and Geneviève, in Montreal, Quebec on 29th April 1737 6
Jean-François Maurice, son of Claude and Madeleine, who married Madeleine Leduc, daughter of Charles and Angélique, in Montreal, Quebec on 30th September 1737 6
Jean Maurice, son of François and Marie-Madeleine, who married Marie-Josephte Paré, daughter of Joseph and Marie-Madeleine, in Saint-François-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, Quebec on 1st August 1742 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Maurice migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Maurice Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Price Maurice, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Caleb Angas" in 1840 7
Augusta Maurice, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Eliza" in 1849 8
Augusta Maurice, aged 28, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Eliza" 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Maurice (post 1700) +

John D. Maurice, American writer who won the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing
Arthur Bartlett Maurice (1873-1946), American editor, contributor to the New International Encyclopædia
Ann Maurice (b. 1951), American interior designer and house stager
James Maurice (1814-1884), American Democratic Party politician, Member of New York State Assembly, 1851, 1866; U.S. Representative from New York 1st District, 1853-55 9
Peter Maurice (1803-1878), Welsh priest and writer
Nicolas Maurice, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 10
Charles Frédéric Louis Maurice, Prince d'Isenbourg-Birstein, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 11
Peter David Maurice (b. 1951), English cleric, current Bishop of Taunton
Maria Belen Perez Maurice (b. 1985), Argentine fencer at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Vice-Admiral James Wilkes Maurice (1775-1857), British officer of the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Maurice family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. George Solomon Maurice, English 1st Class Passenger from London, England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 12

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
7 Ships Acadian Expedition of 1785. Retrieved 14th October 2021 from http://www.acadian-cajun.com/7ships.htm
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CALEB ANGAS 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840CalebAngas.gif
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ELIZA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Eliza.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, April 16) Nicolas Maurice. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, March 13) Charles Maurice. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/