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

Morales, 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 Morales surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Morales in America

Morales is the 50275th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Morales surname appeared 416 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Morales.

We can also compare 2010 data for Morales 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 Morales

The surname Moralas has its origins in Spain and can be traced back to the 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "moral," which means "moral" or "virtuous." The name may have been given to someone who was considered to be of good moral character or who lived an upright life.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Moralas can be found in the archives of the town of Seville, where a certain Juan Moralas was listed as a landowner in 1492. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region during the time of the Spanish Reconquista.

The Moralas name also appears in several historical documents from the 16th and 17th centuries, including the records of the Spanish Inquisition. It is possible that some individuals with this surname were persecuted or investigated by the Inquisition for their religious beliefs or practices.

During the colonial era, the Moralas name spread to various parts of the Spanish Empire, including the Americas. In Mexico, for example, there was a prominent family known as the Moralas de Puebla, who owned large haciendas and played a significant role in the region's agricultural and economic development.

One notable figure with the Moralas surname was Juana Moralas (1587-1654), who was a wealthy landowner and philanthropist in the city of Seville. She was known for her generous donations to churches and charitable organizations, and her legacy is still celebrated in the region today.

Another individual of note was Miguel Moralas (1725-1803), a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of general and played a crucial role in the defense of Madrid against the French forces.

In the 19th century, there was a prominent writer and journalist named Antonio Moralas (1841-1912), who was known for his scathing criticisms of the Spanish monarchy and his advocacy for democratic reforms. His writings and activism made him a controversial figure during his time.

Juan Moralas (1879-1942) was a renowned architect who designed several iconic buildings in Barcelona, including the Palau de la Música Catalana, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lastly, María Moralas (1901-1985) was a celebrated Spanish dancer and choreographer who helped popularize flamenco dance on the international stage. She performed in numerous countries and was widely regarded as one of the greatest flamenco artists of her generation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Morales

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

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 Morales 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 Morales 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 Morales was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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