Moreland
Anglicized form of a surname describing someone from a marshy area.
Name Census estimates that about 7 living Americans carry the first name Moreland. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Moreland today is around 77 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Moreland births was 1940 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Moreland. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Moreland is about 77 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Morelands were born before 1959.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Moreland. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
7
~ 1 in 48,964,905 Americans
Peak year
1940
7 babies that year
Average age
77
years old
1957 SSA rank
#4,366
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Moreland: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Moreland from the 1910s through to the 1950s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 11 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1920s peak, Moreland remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Moreland by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Moreland during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Moreland
The given name Moreland has its origins in the Old English language, dating back to the 5th century AD. It is derived from the combination of two words: "mor" meaning "moor" or "marsh" and "land" referring to a tract of land or territory. The name is believed to have originated in the marshy regions of England, where it was likely used as a descriptive term for people living in or near such areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Moreland can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. It mentions several individuals bearing the name, suggesting its widespread use during the Norman period.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Moreland remained prevalent in various parts of England, particularly in the Midlands and the North. It was often associated with landowners or prominent figures who held estates or properties in areas characterized by marshes or wetlands.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Moreland Griffith (1501-1571) gained recognition as a Welsh scholar and translator. He is credited with translating several works from Latin into Welsh, contributing to the preservation and promotion of the Welsh language during the Renaissance period.
During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a Royalist commander named Moreland Whitelocke (1605-1675) played a significant role in defending the city of Oxford against the Parliamentarian forces. His military exploits and loyalty to King Charles I earned him recognition and a place in the historical records of that turbulent period.
In the 18th century, Moreland Jenkin (1720-1798) was a prominent English architect and surveyor. He is best known for his work on the redesign and renovation of several churches and public buildings in London, including the Church of St. Mary-le-Bow.
Another notable figure with the name Moreland was Moreland Pritchett (1845-1917), an American educator and author. He served as the president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst) from 1891 to 1903, and wrote extensively on topics related to agriculture and rural life.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have borne the given name Moreland, showcasing its longevity and cultural significance across various fields and time periods.
People
Moreland + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Moreland as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Moreland: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Moreland?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 7 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Moreland going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 48,964,905 US residents.
Is Moreland a common name?
We classify Moreland as "Very Rare". It ranks above 23.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 29 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Moreland most popular?
The single biggest year for Moreland was 1940, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Moreland is about 77 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Moreland in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Moreland a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Moreland in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Moreland still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Moreland in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Moreland can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Moreland?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.