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

Morles, 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 Morles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Morles in America

Morles is the 52267th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Morles surname appeared 397 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 Morles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Morles 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 Morles

The surname MORLES originated in England during the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words 'mor' meaning 'moor' or 'marsh' and 'leah' meaning 'a clearing in a forest'. Thus, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a marsh or clearing in a marshy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1199, which mention a William de Morles. This suggests that the name was already established by the late 12th century.

During the 13th century, the name appears in various records, such as the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire from 1272, which include a reference to a Robert de Morles. This indicates that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.

In the 14th century, the name is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which list a John Morles. This suggests that the name had become more widespread and was present in different regions of the country.

One notable bearer of the surname was Robert Morles, who was born around 1350 in Nottinghamshire. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of parliament for Nottinghamshire in 1379.

Another individual of note was John Morles, born in 1425 in Oxfordshire. He was a scholar and theologian who studied at Oxford University and later became a canon of Windsor Castle.

In the 16th century, the name is recorded in the parish registers of Gloucestershire, where a Thomas Morles was born in 1537. This suggests that the name had continued to be used and passed down through generations.

The surname MORLES has also been associated with various place names, such as Morles Wood in Buckinghamshire and Morles Hill in Warwickshire. These locations may have been named after early bearers of the surname who lived or owned land in those areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname include William Morles, born in 1612 in Dorset, who was a merchant and trader involved in the early colonial trade with the Americas. Additionally, there was a Robert Morles, born in 1745 in Lancashire, who served as a captain in the British Navy during the American Revolutionary War.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Morles

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

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

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

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