2000
#3,072
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,815
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.01
Uncommon Last name
Morley
From a place name meaning "open land near a lake" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,220 Americans carry the last name Morley. That puts it at #3,315 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.57 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,049 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Morley surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Morley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,049
Census rank
#3,315
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,656 bearers of the surname Morley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.57 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3315th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Morley, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Morley
Among Census respondents with the surname Morley, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Morley bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Morley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.5% · 9,537
- Two or more races3.4% · 361
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 339
- Black or African American2.8% · 299
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 78
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 42
Timeline
Historical Census data for Morley
Morley appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,275
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,028
+213 bearers (+2.0%)
Per 100,000 3.74
Rank movement Down 203 places
2020
#3,315
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,656
-372 bearers (-3.4%)
Per 100,000 3.57
Rank movement Down 40 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,072 | 10,815 | 4.01 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,275 | 11,028 | 3.74 | +213 bearers (+2.0%) | Down 203 places |
| 2020 | #3,315 | 10,656 | 3.57 | -372 bearers (-3.4%) | Down 40 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Morley surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,275 | #3,315 | -1.2% |
| Count | 11,028 | 10,656 | -3.4% |
| Per 100K | 3.74 | 3.57 | -4.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Morley bearers went from 11,028 to 10,656 (-3.4% change). The surname moved down 40 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,275 to #3,315.
FAQ
Morley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Morley?
Name Census estimates that about 12,220 living Americans carry the surname Morley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,049 residents.
How common is Morley?
Morley ranks #3,315 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.57 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,656 people with the surname Morley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,220), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.57 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.57 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Morley.
Has Morley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Morley went from 11,028 recorded bearers to 10,656. That is a decrease of 372 (-3.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,275 to #3,315.
What does the Census say about the background of Morley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Morley, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (3.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Morley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.5% (9,537 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Morley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.5%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (3.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Morley (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Morley mean?
From a place name meaning "open land near a lake" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Morley (3.57 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Morley?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.