Morrissette
A French occupational surname referring to a barrel maker or cooper.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,736 Americans carry the last name Morrissette. That puts it at #10,015 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 91,744 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Morrissette surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 91,744
Census rank
#10,015
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,219 bearers of the surname Morrissette in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10015th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Morrissette, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Black (21.6%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Morrissette
The surname Morrissette originated in France in the early medieval period, derived from the ancient French personal name Maurice. This Old French name stems from the Latin name Mauritius, meaning "dark-skinned" or from the region of Mauritania. The initial form of the surname was Morisse, followed by variants like Morice, Moris, and Morris.
In the late 11th century, records show the surname Morris appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086, compiled for William the Conqueror. This suggests the name had spread to England by the Norman conquest. Early spellings in England included Morice, Moryz, and Morisse.
One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname was Gilbert Morris, born around 1150 in Nottinghamshire, England. His descendants adopted the spelling Morriss and Morrissette in North America.
The surname Morrissette became more prevalent in Quebec, Canada, where many French settlers emigrated. Notable early bearers include Jean-Baptiste Morrissette, born in 1675 in Boucherville, Quebec, and his son, Jean Morrissette, born in 1701 in Laprairie, Quebec.
Other notable individuals with this surname include:
1. Alanis Morrissette, a Canadian singer-songwriter born in 1974, known for albums like "Jagged Little Pill" and "Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie."
2. James Morrissette, an American artist and sculptor born in 1957, known for his large-scale public sculptures and installations.
3. Naomi Morrissette, a Canadian actress born in 1975, known for her roles in films like "Ginger Snaps" and "The Green Years."
4. Paul Morrissette, a French-Canadian politician born in 1942, who served as a member of the National Assembly of Quebec.
5. Robert Morrissette, an American literary critic and professor born in 1923, known for his work on French literature, particularly on the Surrealist movement.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Morrissette
Among Census respondents with the surname Morrissette, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Black (21.6%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Morrissette bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Morrissette surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.7%
- Black or African American21.6%
- Hispanic or Latino2.4%
- Two or more races2.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Morrissette surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,703 | #10,015 | -3.2% |
| Count | 3,072 | 3,219 | 4.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.14 | 1.09 | -4.4% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Morrissette bearers went from 3,072 to 3,219 (+4.8% change). The surname moved down 312 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,703 to #10,015.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Morrissette
FAQ
Morrissette surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Morrissette?
The surname Morrissette holds position #10,015 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 3,736 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.09 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Morrissette surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Morrissette, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.7%. The next largest groups are Black (21.6%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.