Find out how popular the last name Morais is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Morais.

Morais, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Morais surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Morais in America

Morais is the 9611th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Morais surname appeared 3,381 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Morais.

We can also compare 2010 data for Morais to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Morais

The surname MORAIS originated in Portugal and has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula. The name is derived from the Portuguese word "moraes," which means "dweller near a mulberry tree" or "dweller near the moors." It is believed that the name was initially given to people who lived near mulberry trees or in areas inhabited by the Moors.

The earliest recorded instances of the name MORAIS can be traced back to the 12th century in Portugal. Some historical records suggest that the name appeared in various manuscripts and documents from that period, including land deeds and tax records. One notable example is the mention of a certain Fernão de Morais in the Livro Velho de Linhagens, a Portuguese genealogical work from the 13th century.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the name MORAIS became more widespread as Portugal expanded its territories and influence. Several notable individuals with this surname emerged during this time, including João de Morais (1484-1570), a Portuguese explorer and navigator who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan on his famous voyage around the world.

Another prominent figure was Cristóvão de Morais (1516-1581), a Portuguese humanist scholar and historian who wrote extensively on the history of Portugal and its overseas colonies. His work, Crónica dos Feitos da Guiné, published in 1556, is considered an important account of the Portuguese exploration and colonization of West Africa.

In the 17th century, the name MORAIS was also found in Brazil, as Portuguese settlers and colonists brought the surname to the New World. One example is Pedro de Morais Garça (1580-1651), a Portuguese-Brazilian landowner and entrepreneur who played a significant role in the early colonization and development of Brazil.

Another notable figure from this period was Manuel de Morais (1650-1715), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary and explorer who traveled extensively throughout South America, including the Amazon region. His writings and accounts provided valuable insights into the indigenous cultures and geography of the areas he visited.

As the Portuguese empire expanded and the name MORAIS spread across different regions, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged. Some alternative spellings include Moraes, Morães, and Moraiz.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Morais

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Morais.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Morais was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Morais has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Morais was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Morais, please contact us.

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