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 63rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Morales surname appeared 311,777 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 106 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 Morales is of Spanish origin, deriving from the Latin word "moralis" which means moral or ethical. It first emerged in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages.

The name Morales is believed to have originated as a descriptive surname, referring to individuals who were perceived as virtuous or morally upright. It may have been given to individuals who held respected positions within the church or those known for their ethical conduct.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Morales can be found in medieval Spanish records and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. During this period, the Reconquista, the effort to reclaim Iberian territories from Moorish rule, was ongoing, and many individuals played significant roles in this historical event, potentially contributing to the widespread adoption of the surname.

One notable early bearer of the Morales surname was Pedro Morales, a 14th-century Spanish nobleman and military commander who fought in the service of King Alfonso XI of Castile during the Reconquista. His exploits were chronicled in historical accounts of the time.

Another prominent figure was Juan Morales, a 15th-century Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas in 1493. Morales played a crucial role in the early exploration and colonization of the Caribbean islands.

In the 16th century, the Morales name gained further prominence with the birth of Ambrosio Morales (1513-1591), a renowned Spanish historian and scholar who served as the official chronicler of King Philip II. His works, which included detailed accounts of Spanish history, were highly influential in his time.

During the 17th century, the surname Morales was associated with Francisco Morales Cabrera (1637-1708), a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Philippine Islands from 1677 to 1681.

Another notable figure was María Morales (1635-1706), a revered Spanish nun and mystic who founded the Order of the Immaculate Conception in Quito, Ecuador. She was beatified by the Catholic Church in 1853.

As the Spanish empire expanded across the Americas and other parts of the world, the Morales surname spread to various regions, including Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean islands. Today, it remains a prevalent surname in many Spanish-speaking countries and among Hispanic communities worldwide.

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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