Morey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Ireland
Scotland
England

Etymology of Morey

What does the name Morey mean?

Today's generation of the Morey family inherits a name that was first used by the Scottish tribe known as the Picts. The first family to use the name Morey lived in the county of Moray in the northeast of Scotland, but some historians describe the Clan's forbears as originally Flemish, some as Lowland Scots. More enlightened research places them as descendents of MacAngus de Moravia, who was descended from King Duncan of Scotland and who was the first Earl of Murray.

Morey Coat of Arms Creation

In the course of time there was no heir male to succeed to the earldom; only a daughter -who married a Murray, William, the second Earl of Tullibardine. This Tullibardine was appointed Hereditary Sheriff of Perthshire in 1600 for rescuing the King at Perth from the attempt of the Earl of Gowrie; and Charles I. revived the Earldom of Atholl in the issue of this Countess of Tullibardine. Thus the original Stewart crest became the crest of the Murrays. In 1893 the name was changed from Athole to the original Atholl.

There are no fewer than 63 branches of the Murrays showing their own crests and mottoes. A mermaid with a comb in her right hand and in the left a mirror is the crest of several branches, and the motto, " Tout pret" (Quite ready)

Early Origins of the Morey family

The surname Morey was first found in Moray, where the Clan founder, Freskin, received a grant of the lands of Strathbrock in 1100 AD. He was descended from the first Earl, and his grandson, William, married the heiress of the Bothwell Clan in Lanarkshire. His sons founded many other houses, including the Murrays of Tullibardine, who later became the Dukes of Atholl, and Chiefs of the Clan.

At the same time, an early branch in the north had given origin to the Earls of Sutherland. Andrew Moray (died 1297) also known as Andrew de Moray, Andrew of Moray, or Andrew Murray, was prominent in the Scottish Wars of Independence.

He led the rising in north Scotland in the summer of 1297 against the occupation by King Edward I of England. He was mortally wounded in the fighting at the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

Early History of the Morey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morey research. Another 596 words (43 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1170, 1203, 1255, 1297, 1320, 1333, 1360, 1446, 1586, 1598, 1600, 1608, 1629, 1631, 1640, 1650, 1655, 1660, 1663, 1673, 1691, 1701, 1703, 1710, 1715, 1716, 1719, 1724, 1734, 1745, 1765 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Morey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morey Spelling Variations

Repeated and inaccurate translation of Scottish names from Gaelic to English and back resulted in a wide variety of spelling variations with single names. Morey has appeared Murray, Murrey, Moray, Morey, Morrey, Morry, Murry, MacMhuirich (Gaelic) and many more.

Early Notables of the Morey family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Sir Robert Moray (Murrey, Murray) (1608-1673), a Scottish soldier, statesman, diplomat, judge, spy, freemason and natural philosopher; John Murray, 1st Duke of Atholl, KT, PC (1660-1724) was a Scottish nobleman, Knight of the Thistle, politician, and soldier; William Murray, 1st Earl of Dysart (c. 1600-1655), the childhood whipping boy of Charles I of England and later an...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Morey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morey World Ranking

In the United States, the name Morey is the 2,994^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Morey is ranked the 471^st most popular surname with an estimated 100 people with that name. 2 And in France, the name Morey is the 6,640^th popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Morey family to Ireland

Some of the Morey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morey migration to the United States +

Many Scottish families suffered enormous hardships and were compelled to leave their country of birth. They traveled to Ireland and Australia, but mostly to the colonies of North America, where many found the freedom and opportunity they sought. It was not without a fight, though, as many were forced to stand up and defend their freedom in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of these Scots abroad have rediscovered their heritage in the last century through the Clan societies and other organizations that have sprung up across North America. Immigration and passenger ship lists show some important early immigrants bearing the name Morey:

Morey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Roger Morey, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 4
George Morey, who landed in Virginia in 1652 4
Nicholas Morey, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 4

Morey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Morey, who landed in New York in 1822 4
Samuel Morey, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
Godfrey Morey, who arrived in Arkansas in 1889 4
Anna Morey, aged 62, who settled in America from Ireland, in 1892
Jose Morey, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1898 4

Morey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Bartholomew Morey, aged 35, who landed in America from Cork, Ireland, in 1911
Arthur Harry Morey, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1920
Albert Morey, aged 33, who immigrated to the United States, in 1921

Morey migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Morey Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Joseph Morey, who arrived in Canada in 1828
Linsford Morey, who landed in Canada in 1829
Mr. Patrick Morey who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Pursuit" departing 4th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 23rd June 1847 but he died on board 5
Mr. William Morey, (b. 1822), aged 33, English settler, from Isle of Wight, England, UK departing from Falmouth destined for Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Barque John" on 3rd May 1855 which sank after striking the reef, he survived the sinking 6
Mrs. Morey, (b. 1820), aged 35, English settler, from Isle of Wight, England, UK departing from Falmouth destined for Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Barque John" on 3rd May 1855 which sank after striking the reef, she died in the sinking 6

Morey migration to Australia +

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

Morey Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Miss Mary Ann Morey, (b. 1778), aged 20, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years , transported aboard the "Britannia III" on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7

Morey Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Samuel Morey, Jr., (b. 1811), aged 20, English stone mason who was convicted in Southampton, Hampshire, England for 7 years for machine breaking, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 2nd February 1831, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1896 8
John Morey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "John" in 1840 9
Charles Morey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Midlothian" in 1850 10
Josiah Morey, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Midlothian" in 1850 10
Jane Morey, aged 19, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Omega" 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morey migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Morey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Alfred H Morey, (b. 1828), aged 30, English smith and engineer from London travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 12
Mrs. Elizabeth Morey, (b. 1831), aged 27, English settler from London travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 12
Mr. Alfred Morey, (b. 1849), aged 9, English settler from London travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1858 12
Mr. Edward Morey, (b. 1823), aged 35, English bricklayer from England travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 12
Mrs. Charlotte Morey, (b. 1824), aged 34, English settler from England travelling from London aboard the ship "Strathallan" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st January 1859 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Morey (post 1700) +

Jack Morey (d. 2024), American founder of Morey's Piers & Beachfront Waterparks, New Jersey in 1969
Tom Hugh Morey (1935-2021), also known by the moniker "Y", American musician, engineer, surfboard shaper, and surfer
Frank Morey (1840-1890), U.S. Representative from Louisiana
Sean Joseph Morey (b. 1976), former American NFL football wide receiver
Robert Willis Morey Jr. (b. 1936), American Olympic gold medalist rower at the 1956 Summer Olympics
Walter "Walt" Morey (1907-1992), American author of children's fiction
David Beale Morey (1889-1986), American football and baseball player
Samuel Morey (1762-1843), American inventor
Jaime García Morey (1942-2015), Spanish singer at the Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest 1972
Eve Morey (b. 1983), Australian actress

Historic Events for the Morey family +

HMS Royal Oak

Francis John Marsh Morey (1914-1939), British Leading Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 13

SS Newfoundland

Mr. Nicholas Morey (1889-1914), Newfoundlander from St. John's, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he died during this time

The Morey Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Tout Prêt
Motto Translation: Quite ready.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 90)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/wreck_of_emigrant_ship_john_1855.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Britannia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) JOHN from London 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840John.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MIDLOTHIAN 1850. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Midlothian.gif
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) OMEGA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/omega1852.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html