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

Morley, 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 Morley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Morley in America

Morley is the 3275th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Morley surname appeared 11,028 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Morley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Morley 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 Morley

The surname Morley originates from England, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "mor" meaning marsh or moor, and "leah" referring to a clearing or meadow. The name likely originated as a geographical marker, referring to someone who resided in a marshy clearing or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Morley can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, the name appears as "Moreleia" and refers to a village in Derbyshire.

During the Middle Ages, the name Morley was prevalent in various regions of England, including Yorkshire, Derbyshire, and Norfolk. Historical records from this period often show variations in spelling, such as Morlay, Morleys, and Morleigh.

One notable figure bearing the surname Morley was Thomas Morley (c. 1557-1602), an English composer, theorist, and organist of the Renaissance period. He was a prominent figure in the development of the English Madrigal and contributed significantly to the advancement of music theory during his time.

Another prominent individual was George Morley (1597-1684), an English Anglican bishop who played a significant role in the restoration of the Church of England following the English Civil War. He served as the Bishop of Worcester and later as the Bishop of Winchester.

In the 18th century, Samuel Morley (1809-1886) was a notable English philanthropist and businessman. He co-founded the Morley's department store chain and was known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in supporting education and religious causes.

The name Morley has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Morley in West Yorkshire, which was once a prominent center for textile manufacturing. Other place names include Morley St Botolph in Norfolk and Morley St Peter in Derbyshire.

During the 19th century, John Morley (1838-1923) was a prominent British Liberal statesman, writer, and newspaper editor. He served as the Chief Secretary for Ireland and later as the Secretary of State for India under Prime Minister William Gladstone's administration.

These are just a few examples of notable individuals and historical references associated with the surname Morley, which has a rich history and deep roots in various regions of England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Morley

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

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

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

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