Morris


Select Morris Surname Genealogy

The surname Morris derived in England and Wales from the personal name Maurice which was introduced to Britain by the Normans.  Maurice, the name of some early Christian saints, was the learned spelling of the name.  Morice was its more common form.   Morris from Moorish could also have been a nickname for someone with a swarthy complexion.

Morris as a surname was first recorded in Herefordshire and was a common name in Wales and the English border counties.  One of the earliest records of the name is Hugo Morys, son of Maurice ap Phelip, in the 1450 Shropshire rolls.

The root of the English folk "morris dancing" seems to be the Spanish moresca dance, from the Moors, which was brought to the English court in the 16th century.

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Robert Morris, a merchant, was a financier of the Revolutionary War and a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
Lewis Morris was the colonial Governor of New Jersey. 
William Morris was an artist and writer of the late 19th century, the founder of the English Arts and Crafts movement.
William Morris, 1st Lord Nuffield, was a pioneer UK automobile manufacturer.
Desmond Morris is a well-known British zoologist through his TV appearances.

Select Morrises Today

  • 131,000 in the UK (most numerous in West Midlands)
  • 100,000 in America (most numerous in Texas)
  • 52,000 elsewhere (most numerous in Australia)