MORRIS
Morris is a surname of both English and Welsh provenance, tracing its etymology to the personal name Maurice. Maurice itself derives from the Latin *Mauritius*, which in turn originates from the Latin word *maurus*, meaning “Moorish” or “dark‑skinned”. The semantic field of the name therefore denotes an association with dark features or with the Moors, a Muslim people of North Africa.
The earliest documented appearance of the name in Britain occurs after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when it was introduced by the Normans. The first surviving record dates to 1176, wherein a Mauricius de Edligtona is listed in the documents of the Danelaw for the city of London. A further early spelling, Jasce Mauricii, is found in the Pipe Rolls of London in 1191 during the reign of King Richard I.
Subsequent medieval records illustrate the diffusion of the surname across the English counties. Examples include John Morice in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire (1275), Simon Morys in the Sussex Subsidy Rolls (1296), and Robert Morisse in the Chartulary of the Priory of St Thomas, the Martyr, near Stafford (1308). London parish registers record the christening of William Morris, son of John Morris, on 15 August 1563 at St Andrews Undershaft, and of Sara, daughter of Robert Morris, on 21 June 1590 at St Botolph’s, Bishopsgate.
In Wales the surname is also common, reflecting its Celtic roots and its development from a given name. The name is traditionally linked with Christian communities and is recorded in Welsh sources as a forename that later evolved into a hereditary surname. Its prevalence throughout the British Isles today testifies to the long‑standing assimilation of both Anglo‑Norman and Welsh linguistic elements.
Emigration from Britain carried the surname abroad in the early modern period. An early emigrant, Davie Morris, aged eighteen, embarked from London on the vessel “Truelove” bound for the Bermudas in June 1635, illustrating the surname’s participation in the wider pattern of British settlement.
Typical given names associated with the Morris surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Julie
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Morrice
- Morriss
- Morrish
- Morse
- Morrison
- Morss
- Morice
- Marris
- Merris
- Maurice
- Maris
- Meris
- Merriss
- Maurri
- Mareri
- Merries
- Marries
- Marriss
- Morirs
- Morri
- Morrise
- Morriso
- Maeers
- Maers
- Maerz
- Mahrous
- Maiers
- Maires
- Mairesse
- Mairis
- Mairs
- Marais
- Maras
- Marasa
- Marassa
- Marazzi
- Marce
- Marceau
- Marci
- Marcio
- Mares
- Maresse
- Mareuse
- Marias
- Marice
- Marici
- Maries
- Mariess
- Marios
- Mariosa
- Marisa
- Mariss
- Marius
- Mariusz
- Mariz
- Marois
- Maros
- Marosi
- Maroso
- Marosz
- Marous
- Marozzi
- Marras
- Marrass
- Marrazza
- Marrazzo
- Marres
- Marrese
- Marrice
- Marriz
- Marrohs
- Marrows
- Marrs
- Mars
- Marsa
- Marse
- Marsi
- Marso
- Marus
- Marusza
- Maruza
- Maruzzi
- Marys
- Marz
- Marza
- Marze
- Marzi
- Marzo
- Maurais
- Maurici
- Mauricio
- Mauris
- Maurizi
- Maurizio
- Maurrice
- Maurs
- Maurus
- Mayres
- Mayrs
- Meares
- Mearis
- Mears
- Mearse
- Mearus
- Meears
- Meeres
- Meers
- Meerza
- Mehrez
- Meiers
- Meires
- Meiris
- Meirs
- Meras
- Meraz
- Merce
- Merci
- Mercie
- Meres
- Meresse
- Merez
- Meroz
- Merri
- Mers
- Merse
- Merz
- Merza
- Meurice
- Meuris
- Meurisse
- Meuross
- Meurs
- Miars
- Mieras
- Mieres
- Miers
- Miras
- Mirazi
- Mircea
- Mires
- Mirizzi
- Miros
- Mirris
- Mirse
- Mirus
- Mirz
- Mirza
- Mirzaee
- Mirzaei
- Mirzai
- Mirzaie
- Moares
- Moers
- Moirs
- Mooers
- Moorce
- Moores
- Moorice
- Mooris
- Moorrees
- Moors
- Moorse
- Morace
- Moraes
- Morais
- Moras
- Morass
- Morassi
- Morce
- Moreis
- Mores
- Morese
- Moresi
- Moreso
- Moress
- Morez
- Mori
- Morici
- Mories
- Moris
- Morise
- Morish
- Moriss
- Morisse
- Morisseau
- Morizzo
- Moros
- Morosi
- Moroso
- Moross
- Moroz
- Morozs
- Morrace
- Morras
- Morre
- Morres
- Morresi
- Morress
- Morrey
- Morrick
- Morrie
- Morries
- Morrin
- Morrine
- Morrins
- Morrisay
- Morrisey
- Morrisoe
- Morrisse
- Morrissey
- Morrissy
- Morrist
- Morrisy
- Morrit
- Morrits
- Morritt
- Morros
- Morrows
- Morrs
- Morrus
- Morry
- Mors
- Morsa
- Morsei
- Morsi
- Morsia
- Morus
- Moruzzi
- Morys
- Mouras
- Mourice
- Mourre
- Mours
- Mourse
- Moursi
- Moyrs
- Mraz
- Mross
- Mroz
- Mrris
- Mruz
- Muers
- Muirs
- Muras
- Murasa
- Murase
- Mures
- Muress
- Muresu
- Murez
- Murias
- Muries
- Muris
- Muriss
- Muros
- Muroz
- Murras
- Murrays
- Murris
- Murrows
- Murs
- Mursa
- Mursi
- Murza
- Myres
- Myrs
- Maouris
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Morris in...
Braille
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Morse
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Morris are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Double Stuff Oreo.
There are approximately 134,076 people named Morris in the UK. That makes it the 31st most common surname in Britain. Around 2,059 in a million people in Britain are named Morris.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Wales
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Welsh
Famous people named Morris
- Chris Morris - Satirist, writer, director, actor, voice actor and producer
- William Morris - Textile designer, poet, novelist, translator, and socialist activist (1834 to 1896)
- Stevland Hardaway Morris - American musician
- Julian Morris - Actor colombiano
- Jody Morris - Football player
- Anne Marie Morris - Politician; elected in 2010 as Conservative Member of Parliament for Newton Abbot
- Jan Morris - Historian
- Stephen Morris - Musician
- Robert Morris - American merchant (1734 to 1806)
- Sarah Jane Morris - Singer
- Rae Morris - Singer
- Siwan Morris - Actress
- Simon Conway Morris - Palaeontologist
- Maren Morris - American country singer, songwriter, and record producer
- Estelle Morris - Teacher, politician, life peer
- Cedric Morris - Painter, plantsman (1889 to 1982)
- Iain Morris - Writer
- Jane Morris - Artists' model (1839 to 1914)
- Aubrey Morris - Actor (1926 to 2015)
- May Morris - Artisan, embroidery designer, jeweller, socialist, and editor (1862 to 1938)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.