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Show ContentsMorton History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Etymology of Morton

What does the name Morton mean?

The Strathclyde-Briton people of ancient Scotland were the first to use the name Morton. The Morton family lived in Dumfriesshire at Morton, a parish containing, with the village of Thornhill, and part of Carronbridge. "The name of Morton, which is Anglo-Saxon, signifies "the stronghold or dwelling on the moor;" and the parish appears to have been thus denominated from the old castle of Morton, a very strong place, the striking ruins of which are still to be seen upon an extensive moor at the bottom of a beautiful green hill. This castle is supposed to have been originally the possession of a Norman chief named de Moreville, whose family had settled in Scotland in the 10th century, obtained a large part of the estates in this neighbourhood, and risen to great power and eminence. He was appointed hereditary lord high constable of Scotland; and his grandson, Hugo de Moreville, in the year 1140, founded the monastery of Kilwinning, in Ayrshire, and in 1144 the abbey of Dryburgh, in Teviotdale." 1

Early Origins of the Morton family

The surname Morton was first found in Dumfriesshire at Morton. One of the first records of the family was "Hugh de Mortun, prior of May, c. 1204-11. William de Mortun who witnessed a grant of the churches of Trauerflat and Dungray to the Abbey of Kelso in 1266, may be W. de Mortun, rector of the church of Dunbenauch, 1269. Thomas de Mortoun held the mill of Mortoun, Dumfriesshire, 1376, and John de Mortoun was provost of the Collegiate Church of Bothevile, 1413." 2

The same author postulates the the origin of the name may also Of territorial origin from the lands of Myrton or Myretoun, afterwards Morton, in the parish of Kemback, Fife. The Myretons, Myretouns, or Mortons of Cambo were an old and considerable family in Fife, who took their surname from these lands. The family "are said to have derived their name from an ancestor in the fourteenth century, who held office as mair of the barony of Crail, and whose own lands were designated Mairtoun. But it is more probable that the family were named from the character or condition of their lands-Myretoun being a corrupt form of Muirtown." 2

Early History of the Morton family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morton research. Another 237 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1051, 1160, 1170, 1361, 1373, 1422, 1429, 1431, 1446, 1514, 1544, 1559, 1581, 1584, 1590, 1598, 1647, 1694, 1820, 1869 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Morton History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morton Spelling Variations

The variation in the spelling of Medieval names is a result of the lack of spelling rules in the English language prior to the last few hundred years. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound, often varying the spelling of name within a single document. Morton has appeared as Morton, Moreton, Moorton, Myrton and others.

Early Notables of the Morton family

Notable among the family at this time was

  • James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (d. 1581), Scottish nobleman, who ruled as a regent for James IV
  • a line of Moretons, who were Earls of Ducie, as well as John Morton of York, who was the Archbisop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor of England during the reign of Henry VII. Thomas Morton (1590?-1647...

Morton World Ranking

In the United States, the name Morton is the 462nd most popular surname with an estimated 62,175 people with that name. 3 However, in Canada, the name Morton is ranked the 626th most popular surname with an estimated 8,262 people with that name. 4 And in Australia, the name Morton is the 309th popular surname with an estimated 11,531 people with that name. 5 New Zealand ranks Morton as 334th with 1,885 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Morton as 262nd with 22,920 people. 7

Migration of the Morton family to Ireland

Some of the Morton family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morton migration to the United States +

As the persecution of Clan families continued, they sailed for North America in increasing numbers. In most cases, they found the freedom and opportunity they sought. Land was often available and the American War of Independence allowed Scots an opportunity to solidify their independence from the English crown. These settlers and their ancestors went on to play essential roles in the forging of the nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:

Morton Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Ralph Morton, who landed in Jamestown, Va in 1607 8
  • William Morton, aged 20, who landed in Virginia in 1620 aboard the ship "Margaret & John" 8
  • Thomas Morton, who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the "Fortune" 8
  • Thomas Morton, Jr., who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne", settled in New England 1625. 8
  • Mr. Nathanial Morton, (c. 1616 - 1685), who arrived in Plymouth, Mass aboard the ship "Anne", he was Plymouth's secretary for Governor William Bradford 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Morton Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Morton, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 8
  • Lawrance Morton, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1708 8
  • Mathias Morton, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1712 8
  • Robert Morton, who arrived in America in 1730 8
  • James Morton, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Morton Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Francis Morton, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 8
  • Eliza Morton, aged 24, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1820-1873 8
  • Dever Morton, who landed in Norfolk, Va in 1820 8
  • Alexander Morton, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 8
  • Andrew Morton, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morton migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Morton Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Elisa Morton, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • John Morton, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
  • Mr. John Morton U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 51 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 10
  • Mr. William Morton U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 219 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 28, 1783 at Staten Island, New York, USA 10
  • Mr. Alexander Morton U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Morton Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mary Morton, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Dorcas Savage" from Belfast, Ireland
  • Daniel Morton, aged 36, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • Patrick Morton, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • Samuel Morton, who arrived in Canada in 1836
  • Silas Morton, who arrived in Canada in 1836
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morton migration to Australia +

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

Morton Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Morton Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Henry Morton, English convict who was convicted in Sandgate, Folkestone, England for life, transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • Mr. Thomas Morton, English convict who was convicted in Leicester, Leicestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
  • Mr. Thomas Morton, British Convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for life, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 11th August 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
  • George Morton, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on May 17, 1823, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 15
  • Robert Morton, a tailor, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morton 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:

Morton Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. David Morton, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Burleigh" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th August 1856 16
  • Mrs. Mary Morton, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Burleigh" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th August 1856 16
  • Miss Mary Morton, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Burleigh" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th August 1856 16
  • Mr. George Morton, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Burleigh" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th August 1856 16
  • Mr. Daniel Morton, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Nourmahal" arriving in Dunedin, Otaga, South Island, New Zealand on 5th May 1858 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morton 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. 17
Morton Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. Henry Morton, (b. 1615), aged 20, British settler travelling from London, England aboard the ship "Alexander" arriving in Barbados in 1635 18
  • Mr. Rowland Morton, (b. 1618), aged 17, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Matthew" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 19
  • Mr. John Morton, (b. 1611), aged 24, British settler traveling aboard the ship "William and John" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1635 19

Contemporary Notables of the name Morton (post 1700) +

  • P.J. Morton (b. 1981), born as Paul Morton Jr., an American Grammy winning musician, singer, songwriter and record producer
  • Harry Morton (1981-2019), American restaurateur, founder of the restaurant chain Pink Taco
  • Newton Ennis Morton (1929-2018), American population geneticist from Camden, New Jersey, one of the founders of the field of genetic epidemiology
  • Harry Robert "Bob" Morton (1934-2015), American politician, Washington State Senator from Washington's 7th Legislative District (1994-2013)
  • Larry Craig Morton (b. 1943), American former professional NFL football quarterback, into the College Football Hall of Fame
  • William Thomas Green Morton (1819-1868), American dentist who first publicly demonstrated the use of ether as a surgical anesthetic in 1846
  • Charles Hazen "Charlie" Morton (1854-1921), American Major League Baseball outfielder, manager, and League executive
  • Charles "Charlie" Alfred Morton (b. 1983), American Major League Baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates
  • Conrad Vernon Morton (1905-1972), American botanist
  • Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton (1890-1941), born Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe, American jazz composer
  • ... (Another 112 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Empress of Ireland
  • Mrs. Ruth Jane Morton (1888-1914), née Spruston Canadian Third Class Passenger from Fernie, British Columbia, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 20
  • Mr. Lowther Morton (1887-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Fernie, British Columbia, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 20
  • Miss Jane Morton (d. 1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Fernie, British Columbia, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 20
  • Miss Kathleen Morton (d. 1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Fernie, British Columbia, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 20
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. W Morton, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 21
  • Mr. Frederick Charles Morton (b. 1906), "Freddie" English Petty Officer from England, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 21
  • Mr. Morton, British Leading Cook, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 21
  • Mr. Henry Canova Vollam Morton (b. 1892), English Journalist from England, who sailed on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) prior to its sinking 21
North Sea Flood
  • Thomas Morton, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953
Prince of Wales colliery
  • Mr. Samuel Morton (b. 1838), Welsh coal miner who was working at the Prince of Wales colliery in Abercarn, Wales on the 11th September 1878 when there was a coal mine explosion; he died 22
RMS Lusitania
  • Mr. Leslie Noel Morton, English Able-Bodied Seaman from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in a collapsible 23
  • Mr. John Clifford Morton, English Able-Bodied Seaman from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 23
USS Indianapolis
  • Charles Wesley Morton, 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 was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 24
  • Marion Ellis Morton, 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 was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 24
  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  6. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  7. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  8. 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)
  9. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  10. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
  15. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1823 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1823
  16. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  18. Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 28th September 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  19. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's (Retrieved October 4th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  20. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  21. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  22. Entombed in flood and flame (retrieved 3rd August 2021). Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20120603025705/http://www.crosskeys.me.uk/history/prince.htm
  23. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
  24. Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew

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