Morris Surname

Meaning and origin of the surname Morris

Patronymic surname derived from Maurice (Latin Mauritius, 'dark-skinned' or 'Moorish'), widely adopted in Wales as the Anglicized form of the native Welsh personal name Meurig.

Historically and linguistically, Morris belongs to the Welsh, English and French family of surnames. It is conventionally pronounced "MOR-is".

United States Census frequency and ranking

In the official 2010 United States Census, Morris was recorded 318,884 times, ranking as the 62nd most common surname in the nation.

This represents an incidence rate of approximately 108.10 bearers per 100,000 Americans, or roughly 1 out of every 925 residents.

Race and ethnicity distribution

According to official decennial Census genealogy microdata, individuals bearing the surname Morrisreported the following racial and ethnic affiliations in the 2010 US Census:

Source: US Census Bureau, 2010 Census Surnames Data. Percentages may not sum to exactly 100% due to independent rounding or suppression of small cell counts for privacy protection.

History of the surname Morris

Morris is an extensively recorded surname in Britain, deriving from the Old French personal name Maurice (from Latin Mauritius, a derivative of Maurus, signifying 'Moor' or 'dark-complexioned'). The name gained early European veneration through Saint Maurice, a third-century Roman-Egyptian military leader and commander of the Theban Legion who was martyred in Switzerland for refusing to persecute fellow Christians.

In Wales and the Marches, Morris was enthusiastically adopted as the primary Anglicized equivalent of the traditional Welsh name Meurig (from Latin Mauricius). During the sixteenth-century standardization of Welsh surnames, ap Meurig ('son of Meurig') transitioned into Morris or Morriss, making it especially prevalent in Cardiganshire, Anglesey, and Montgomeryshire, as well as adjacent English counties like Shropshire and Cheshire.

Bearers of the surname played monumental roles in early American history, none more significant than Robert Morris (1734–1806), signer of the Declaration of Independence and superintendent of finance during the American Revolutionary War. In the 2010 United States Census, Morris ranked 62nd nationwide with 318,884 recorded bearers.

Notable people with the surname Morris

• Robert Morris (1734–1806), Founding Father and 'Financier of the American Revolution'
• William Morris (1834–1896), English textile designer, poet, and artist
• Gouverneur Morris (1752–1816), American Founding Father who authored Preamble to the Constitution
• Marcus Morris (1989–), American professional basketball player