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

Moran, 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 Moran surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moran in America

Moran is the 353rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moran surname appeared 88,615 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 30 people would have the surname Moran.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moran 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 Moran

The surname Moran originated from the Irish language and is derived from the Gaelic word "O'Morain," meaning "descendant of Morain." The name can be traced back to the 11th century in Ireland, where it was particularly prevalent in the counties of Leitrim and Sligo.

The earliest known record of the Moran surname dates back to the 13th century, where it appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle of medieval Ireland. One notable mention is Domhnall O'Morain, a renowned Irish chieftain who lived in the late 12th century.

In the 16th century, the name was anglicized to "Moran," and its various spellings, such as "Moren," "Morane," and "Murn," were also used. During this period, the Moran family was prominent in County Leitrim, where they held significant landholdings and played a crucial role in local affairs.

One of the most famous bearers of the Moran name was Dermot Moran, a 16th-century Irish chieftain and leader of the Moran clan in County Leitrim. He was known for his resistance against English rule in Ireland and his efforts to preserve Irish culture and traditions.

In the 17th century, the Moran surname spread across Ireland and beyond, as many families emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly to North America and Australia. One notable figure was Patrick Moran (1823-1911), an Irish-American prelate who served as the second Bishop of Dubuque, Iowa, and later as the fourth Archbishop of Sydney, Australia.

Another prominent individual was Benjamin Moran (1820-1886), an American naval officer who served in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. He was known for his contributions to the development of naval signaling systems and his leadership during several key battles.

In the 19th century, the Moran name gained further recognition with individuals like Thomas Moran (1837-1926), an American painter and member of the Hudson River School, renowned for his landscape paintings of the American West.

Throughout history, the Moran surname has been carried by numerous individuals across various fields, including politics, arts, and academia. Some other notable figures include Pat Moran (1876-1924), an American baseball player and manager, and Dermot Moran (born 1952), an Irish philosopher and scholar of phenomenology.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moran

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

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

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

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