Morris History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Wales

Etymology of Morris

What does the name Morris mean?

This old Welsh surname comes from the Latin personal name Mauritius, which means dark. In Britain, Maurice was the learned form of the name, while Morice was the common form. The surname Morris was likely also assumed as a surname after being a nickname for a dark or swarthy person.

Early Origins of the Morris family

The surname Morris was first found in Herefordshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Morris family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morris research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1660, 1663, 1670, 1672 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Morris History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morris Spelling Variations

Welsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Morris has occasionally been spelled Morris, Morriss, Moriss, Morrice, Morice, Moris and others.

Early Notables of the Morris family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

John Morris (fl. 1663-1672), Welsh pirate active in the Caribbean during the 1660s throught the 1670s...
More recently of note were Lewis Morris of New York, and Robert Morris of Pennsylvania, signers of the American Declaration of Independence...

Morris World Ranking

In the United States, the name Morris is the 53^rd most popular surname with an estimated 310,875 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Morris is ranked the 140^th most popular surname with an estimated 23,696 people with that name. 2 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Morris is the 116^th popular surname with an estimated 304 people with that name. 3 Australia ranks Morris as 60^th with 36,222 people. 4 New Zealand ranks Morris as 54^th with 5,191 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Morris as 33^rd with 99,474 people. 6 South Africa ranks Morris as 556^th with 12,485 people. 7

Migration of the Morris family to Ireland

Some of the Morris family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morris migration to the United States +

In the 1800s and 1900s, many Welsh families left for North America, in search of land, work, and freedom. Those who made the trip successfully helped contribute to the growth of industry, commerce, and the cultural heritage of both Canada and the United States. In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Morris

Morris Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. John Morris, aged 24, who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship "Bona Nova" 8
Mary Morris, aged 22, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "George" 8
Mr. Richard Morris of London who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 9
Mrs. Leonora Morris of London who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 9
Mr. Thomas Morris of Nottingham who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morris Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anne Morris, who landed in Virginia in 1703 10
Ellinor Morris, who landed in Virginia in 1706 10
Elianor Morris, who arrived in Virginia in 1706 10
Adam Morris, who landed in Virginia in 1714 10
Christian Morris, aged 24, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1738 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morris Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Ann Morris, aged 21, who arrived in New Castle or Philadelphia in 1805 10
Ainsley Morris, aged 17, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812 10
Ephraim Morris, who landed in New York in 1834 10
Gualterio Morris, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1837 10
Emanuel Morris, aged 27, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morris Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Henry Morris, (b. 1880), aged 25, Cornish stone cutter travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Barre City, Vermont 11
Caroline Elizabeth Morris, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1912 10

Morris migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Morris Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Charles Morris, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
Mr. Charles Morris Jr., U.E. who settled in Halifax, Nova Scotia c. 1783 12
Mr. David Morris U.E. (b. 1751) who settled in New Brunswick c. 1784 he died in 1817 12
Private. Lutheran Morris U.E. (b. 1737) born in Woodbridge, New Jersey, USA who settled in Parrsborough [Parrsboro], Nova Scotia c. 1784 he served in the New Jersey Volunteers 3rd Battalion, married to Catherine Ann Swan having 15 Children, he died in 1839 12
Sgt. Richard Morris U.E. (b. 1750) born in Ireland who settled in Nova Scotia c. 1784 he served in the New York Volunteers and 3rd Regiment of Foot, married twice having 8 children, he died in 1834 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morris Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Morris, aged 30, a plasterer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Charity" from Kinsale, Ireland
Samuel Morris, aged 25, a plasterer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Charity" from Kinsale, Ireland
Sarah Morris, aged 26, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Charity" from Kinsale, Ireland
Felix Morris, aged 26, a tailor, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Silestria" from Belfast, Ireland
Owen Morris, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Robert Burns" in 1834
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morris migration to Australia +

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

Morris Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. Edward Morris, English convict who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. Richard Morris, (Price), English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13

Morris Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Martha Morris, British Convict who was convicted in Shropshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Mr. Augustus Morris, (b. 1788), aged 15, British convict who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1824 15
Elijah Morris, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 16
Mr. Peter Morris, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17
John Morris, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Almorah" on April 1817, settling in New South Wales, Australia 18
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morris 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:

Morris Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Cornelius Morris, aged 50, a gardener, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1840
Mary Morris, aged 36, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1840
Ellen Morris, aged 16, a sempstress, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1840
Anne Morris, aged 14, a sempstress, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "London" in 1840
Mr. Thomas Morris, (b. 1823), aged 16, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Oriental" arriving in Port Nicholson, Wellington, New Zealand on 31st January 1840 19
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morris migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 20

Morris Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Humphrey Morris, aged 18, who settled in Barbados in 1635 aboard the ship "Falcon"
Mr. Edward Morris, (b. 1617), aged 18, British settler travelling aboard the ship "The Dorset" arriving in Barbados in September 1635 21

Contemporary Notables of the name Morris (post 1700) +

Stevland Hardaway Morris (b. 1950), born Stevland Hardaway Judkins, known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist who has won 25 Grammy Awards, inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Songwriters Halls of Fame
Eugene Edward "Mercury" Morris (1947-2024), American professional football player
Eugene E. Morris, American politician
Darius Aaron Morris (1991-2024), American professional NBA basketball player who played from 2011 to 2020
Chuck Morris (1977-2023), American percussionist, known for his work with Lotus, an instrumental electronic jam band
Charles Richard Morris (1939-2021), American lawyer, banker, and author. who wrote thirteen books, and was a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic Monthly, winner of the 2009 Gerald Loeb Award
Charles Manigault Morris (1820-1895), American officer in the United States Navy and later in the Confederate States Navy
Maren Larae Morris (b. 1990), American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her 2015 extended play, Maren Morris, charted on two Billboard charts. Hero, reached number five on the Billboard 200 chart and number one on the Top Country Albums chart, and was certified platinum in the United States
Jeannie Morris (1935-2020), née Myers, an American sports journalist and author
William S. Morris (1919-1975), American Democratic Party politician, Served in the U.S. Army during World War II; Lieutenant Governor of Missouri, 1969-73
... (Another 380 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Morris family +

Empress of Ireland

Mrs. Daisy Lillian Morris (1885-1914), née Coombs Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
Mr. Arthur Morris (1881-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
Major Frank Morris (1875-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from London, Ontario, Canada who survived the sinking on the Empress of Ireland 22

Halifax Explosion

Mrs. Sarah Morris, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who survived the Halifax Explosion (1917) but later died due to injuries 23
Mr. Martin Morris, Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 23
Mr. Ferdinand A. Morris, Canadian Able Seaman with the Naval Department from Quebec, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 23

Hindenburg LZ-129

Mr. Nelson Morris (1891-1937), American Controlling Heir of Meat Packing/Stockyard Interests from Chicago, Illinois, USA, who was a passenger on board the Hindenburg LZ-129 and survived the Airship Fire 24

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Edgar Percy Morris (1904-1941), Australian Petty Officer from Maroubra, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 25
Mr. Raymond Keith Morris (1921-1941), Australian Able Seaman from Kent Town, South Australia, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 25

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Morris, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 26

HMS Repulse

Mr. George Morris, British Signalman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 27
Mr. George Morris, British Sergeant, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking and was evacuated 27

HMS Royal Oak

Peter J.T. Morris, British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 28
Charles Henry Morris (1903-1939), British Able 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 28

Monongah Mine

Mr. A. H. Morris (b. 1877), American coal miner who was in mine 6 at the Monongah Mine on 6th December 1907 when it exploded and collapsed; he died 29
Mr. Cecil Morris (b. 1888), Italian coal miner who was in mine 6 at the Monongah mine on 6th December 1907 when it exploded and collapsed; he died 29
Mr. C. E. Morris (b. 1878), Slavic coal miner who was in mine 8 at the Monongah mine on 6th December 1907 when it exploded and collapsed; he died 29
Mr. Marion Morris (b. 1889), Italian coal miner who was in mine 8 at the Monongah mine on 6th December 1907 when it exploded and collapsed; he died 29
Mr. William Morris (b. 1881), Italian coal miner who was in mine 8 at the Monongah mine on 6th December 1907 when it exploded and collapsed; he died 29

RMS Lusitania

Mr. John Morris, English Trimmer from Mile End, London, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 30
Reverend Hugh Carlton Syddall Morris, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 31

RMS Titanic

Mr. Frank Herbert Morris, aged 28, English Bathroom Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking by escaping in life boat 14 32
Mr. Arthur Morris (d. 1912), aged 30, English Trimmer from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 32
Mr. William Edward Morris (d. 1912), aged 22, English Greaser from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 32

Senghenydd colliery

Mr. Edwin Morris (b. 1890), Welsh coal miner from Abertridwr, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 33
Mr. John Morris (b. 1882), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 33
Mr. Meyrick Morris (b. 1883), Welsh coal miner from Senghenydd, Caerphilly, Wales who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 33
Mr. Thomas James Morris (b. 1894), Welsh coal miner from who was working at the Senghenydd colliery when there was an explosion on the 14th October 1913; he died 33

SS Alcoa Puritan

J.F. Morris, American from Mobile, Alabama, who was working aboard the SS Alcoa Puritan (1942) traveling from Port of Spain, Trinidad to Mobile, Alabama when it was torpedoed by U-boat U-507; he survived the sinking 34

USS Arizona

Mr. Owen Newton Morris, American Seaman First Class from Alabama, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 35

USS Indianapolis

Albert Oliver Morris (1924-2000), American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he survived the sinking 36

Citations +

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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)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
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Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
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Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
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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
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