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

Mori, 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 Mori surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mori in America

Mori is the 7831st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mori surname appeared 4,228 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 Mori.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mori 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 Mori

The surname MORI has its origins in Italy, where it first emerged in the medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "moro," meaning "Moor" or "dark-skinned person." This suggests that the name may have originally been given as a nickname or descriptive term for someone with a darker complexion or possibly someone who had connections to North Africa or the Moorish culture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MORI surname can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of historical documents from the Lombard period in Italy, dating back to the 8th century. However, it's important to note that spellings were often inconsistent in these early records, and the name may have appeared in various forms, such as Moro, Mori, or Moris.

In the 13th century, the MORI surname is documented in the Florentine records, specifically in the Libro di Montaperti, which chronicles the famous battle of Montaperti in 1260. This suggests that the MORI family may have been influential or involved in the political and military affairs of medieval Florence.

One notable figure bearing the MORI surname was Iacopo Mori, a Venetian merchant and explorer who lived in the late 13th century. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to travel to and document the lands of Central Asia, including parts of modern-day Mongolia and China.

Another prominent individual was Tommaso Mori (1478-1535), an English Renaissance scholar, statesman, and Catholic martyr. Although not directly related to the Italian MORI surname, his name is often anglicized as "Thomas More" and has become renowned for his influential works, including "Utopia," and his steadfast adherence to his religious beliefs, leading to his execution by King Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, the MORI surname can be found in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Veneto, and Lombardy. One notable figure from this period was Battista Mori (1536-1598), an Italian architect and sculptor who worked on several notable projects in Rome, including the Palazzo Borghese and the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria.

During the 17th century, the MORI surname gained prominence in the Republic of Venice, where several members of the family held influential positions in the city's government and cultural institutions. One such figure was Girolamo Mori (1612-1688), a Venetian nobleman and poet who was celebrated for his literary works and patronage of the arts.

As the MORI surname spread across Europe, it also took on various spellings and adaptations in different languages. For example, in French, it became Morin, while in Spanish, it transformed into Morín or Moreno. Despite these variations, the underlying meaning and origin of the name remained connected to its Italian roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mori

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

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

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

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