2000
#67,936
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 271
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Moralis
A surname derived from the Latin word "moralis," meaning of or relating to moral principles or ethical conduct.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 485 Americans carry the last name Moralis. That puts it at #52,889 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 706,710 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moralis surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
485
1 in 706,710
Census rank
#52,889
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
423
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 423 bearers of the surname Moralis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 52889th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moralis, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 73.5%. The next largest groups are White (19.9%) and Black (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moralis
The surname MORALIS is of Spanish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in Spain. It is believed to have originated from the Latin word "moralis," which means "relating to manners or character." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who possessed admirable moral qualities or adhered to a strict code of ethics.
The earliest recorded instances of the name MORALIS can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries in regions such as Catalonia and Aragon. It is likely that the name was initially used as a descriptive surname, given to individuals who displayed exemplary moral conduct or virtuous behavior.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname MORALIS was Andrés Moralis, a Spanish philosopher and theologian who lived in the late 15th century. He was renowned for his teachings on moral philosophy and his influential works that explored the ethical dimensions of human behavior.
During the 16th century, the MORALIS name gained prominence in the city of Valencia, where several families bearing this surname held prominent positions in local governance and commerce. One such individual was Juan Moralis, a wealthy merchant and civic leader who played a significant role in the city's economic and cultural development.
In the 17th century, the MORALIS name appeared in historical records from the region of Andalusia, where it was associated with several notable families involved in agriculture and land ownership. One prominent figure from this era was Diego Moralis, a landowner and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of local infrastructure and education initiatives.
As the Spanish Empire expanded its influence across the Americas, the MORALIS surname also found its way to the New World. Pedro Moralis, born in 1621 in Seville, was among the early Spanish settlers in what is now Mexico. He became a respected figure in the region, known for his efforts in promoting education and cultural exchange between the Spanish colonists and indigenous populations.
Throughout the centuries, the MORALIS surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, artists, and military leaders. One such figure was Catalina Moralis, a renowned Spanish painter from the 18th century, whose works captured the vibrant culture and landscapes of her homeland.
These are just a few examples of the rich history and legacy associated with the surname MORALIS, a name that has endured through the ages and continues to be a testament to the enduring influence of Spanish culture and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moralis
Among Census respondents with the surname Moralis, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 73.5%. The next largest groups are White (19.9%) and Black (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Moralis bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Moralis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino73.5% · 311
- White19.9% · 84
- Black or African American4.3% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 3
- Two or more races0.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moralis
Moralis appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#98,099
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 185
-86 bearers (-31.7%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 30,163 places
2020
#52,889
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 423
+238 bearers (+128.6%)
Per 100,000 0.14
Rank movement Up 45,210 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #67,936 | 271 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #98,099 | 185 | 0.06 | -86 bearers (-31.7%) | Down 30,163 places |
| 2020 | #52,889 | 423 | 0.14 | +238 bearers (+128.6%) | Up 45,210 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Moralis surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #98,099 | #52,889 | 46.1% |
| Count | 185 | 423 | 128.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.14 | 135.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moralis bearers went from 185 to 423 (+128.6% change). The surname moved up 45,210 positions in the national ranking, going from #98,099 to #52,889.
FAQ
Moralis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moralis?
Name Census estimates that about 485 living Americans carry the surname Moralis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 706,710 residents.
How common is Moralis?
Moralis ranks #52,889 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 423 people with the surname Moralis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (485), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.14 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.14 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Moralis.
Has Moralis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moralis went from 185 recorded bearers to 423. That is an increase of 238 (+128.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #98,099 to #52,889.
What does the Census say about the background of Moralis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moralis, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 73.5%. The next largest groups are White (19.9%) and Black (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Moralis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.5% (311 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moralis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (73.5%), White (19.9%), Black (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Moralis (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Moralis mean?
A surname derived from the Latin word "moralis," meaning of or relating to moral principles or ethical conduct. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Moralis (0.14 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Moralis?
See how common the surname Moralis is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.