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

Morla, 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 Morla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Morla in America

Morla is the 48530th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Morla surname appeared 435 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 Morla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Morla 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 Morla

The surname MORLA is believed to have its origins in Spain. It is thought to derive from the Latin word "morulus," which means "small mulberry tree." This suggests the name may have originated as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near or was associated with mulberry trees.

MORLA likely emerged in the medieval period, but its earliest recorded instances are difficult to pinpoint with certainty. Some historians suggest the name may have appeared in documents from the 13th or 14th century in regions like Catalonia or Aragon, where variations like "Morlà" or "Morlans" were used.

One of the earliest known bearers of the MORLA surname was Pedro Morla, a Spanish nobleman who lived in the late 15th century. Records indicate he served as a military commander during the Reconquista, the centuries-long campaign to expel Moorish rulers from the Iberian Peninsula.

In the 16th century, the MORLA name appeared in the town of Morla, located in the province of Tarragona, Catalonia. It is possible the surname originated from this place name, although the precise connection is unclear. During this time, individuals like Juan Morla (c. 1520-1592) and Beatriz Morla (c. 1545-1610) were recorded in local archives.

As the Spanish Empire expanded, the MORLA surname spread to various regions, including the Americas. One notable figure was Diego Morla Velarde (1657-1736), a Spanish military engineer who played a role in fortifying settlements in present-day Mexico and the Caribbean.

In later centuries, the MORLA name continued to be found throughout Spain and its territories. Francisco Morla (1782-1847) was a Spanish general who served during the Peninsular War against Napoleon's forces. Another prominent individual was José Morla (1829-1898), a Cuban poet and journalist who advocated for Puerto Rican independence from Spain.

While the MORLA surname has roots in Spain and Spanish-speaking regions, it has also been adopted by families in other parts of the world, likely through migration or cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the Iberian Peninsula and the linguistic legacy of Latin in that region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Morla

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

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

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

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