UK surname
A Spanish surname derived from the ancient Greek name 'Moros', meaning 'mulberry tree'.
In the 1881 census there were 186 people recorded with the Moris surname, ranking it #13,448 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 92, ranked #32,035, down from #13,448 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Dudley, Fowlis Wester and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moris is 908 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 50.5%.
1881 census count
186
Ranked #13,448
Modern count
92
2016, ranked #32,035
Peak year
1861
908 bearers
Map years
6
1851 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Moris surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Moris surname density by area, 1881 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 560 | #4,524 |
| 1861 | historical | 908 | #3,049 |
| 1881 | historical | 186 | #13,448 |
| 1891 | historical | 368 | #9,464 |
| 1901 | historical | 116 | #20,933 |
| 1911 | historical | 215 | #14,290 |
| 1997 | modern | 77 | #29,874 |
| 1998 | modern | 56 | #32,313 |
| 1999 | modern | 56 | #32,461 |
| 2000 | modern | 38 | #34,146 |
| 2001 | modern | 34 | #34,356 |
| 2002 | modern | 31 | #34,866 |
| 2003 | modern | 33 | #34,773 |
| 2004 | modern | 38 | #34,555 |
| 2005 | modern | 38 | #34,741 |
| 2006 | modern | 35 | #35,191 |
| 2007 | modern | 43 | #34,845 |
| 2008 | modern | 45 | #34,818 |
| 2009 | modern | 50 | #34,663 |
| 2010 | modern | 57 | #34,421 |
| 2011 | modern | 62 | #34,045 |
| 2012 | modern | 69 | #33,695 |
| 2013 | modern | 75 | #33,409 |
| 2014 | modern | 85 | #32,743 |
| 2015 | modern | 85 | #32,693 |
| 2016 | modern | 92 | #32,035 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Dudley, Fowlis Wester, London parishes, Manchester and Aberdare. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dudley | Staffordshire |
| 2 | Fowlis Wester | Perth |
| 3 | London parishes | London 3 |
| 4 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 5 | Aberdare | Glamorganshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Moris surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Moris, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Moris surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Moris household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Moris is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Moris is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Moris, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname MORIS originated in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French name "Moris", which is a variant spelling of the name Maurice. Maurice itself comes from the Latin name "Mauritius", which was a Roman family name derived from the word "Maurus", meaning "Moorish" or "dark-skinned".
The earliest recorded instances of the MORIS surname can be found in various medieval records and documents from the 12th and 13th centuries. One notable example is the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, which lists several individuals with the surname MORIS or similar spellings such as Morice and Moryce.
One of the earliest known individuals with the MORIS surname was Sir William MORIS, a prominent English knight who lived in the late 13th century. He was a participant in the Second Barons' War and fought alongside Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham in 1265.
Another notable bearer of the MORIS surname was John MORIS, a 14th-century English scholar and theologian. He was a fellow at Merton College, Oxford, and authored several works on theology and philosophy.
In the 15th century, Thomas MORIS (c. 1409-1489) was a renowned English scholar and Renaissance humanist. He is best known for his work "Utopia", a seminal work of political philosophy that imagined an ideal society on a fictional island.
During the Tudor period, Sir Christopher MORIS (c. 1490-1549) was a significant figure in English history. He served as a trusted advisor to King Henry VIII and played a crucial role in the English Reformation.
In the 17th century, William MORIS (1634-1676) was a renowned English botanist and naturalist. He is considered one of the founders of modern plant taxonomy and contributed significantly to the study of plant life in England.
The MORIS surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Moresby, Morston, and Morville, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name in different regions.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moris surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 23 Moris' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.27x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 23 | 1.27x |
| Staffordshire | 19 | 3.12x |
| Lancashire | 16 | 0.75x |
| Cornwall | 10 | 4.89x |
| Berkshire | 9 | 6.64x |
| Merionethshire | 9 | 27.26x |
| Perthshire | 9 | 11.11x |
| Glamorgan | 8 | 2.55x |
| Hampshire | 7 | 1.89x |
| Angus | 6 | 3.59x |
| Durham | 6 | 1.12x |
| Lincolnshire | 6 | 2.08x |
| Derbyshire | 5 | 1.77x |
| Hertfordshire | 5 | 4.02x |
| Surrey | 5 | 0.57x |
| Yorkshire | 5 | 0.28x |
| Sussex | 4 | 1.31x |
| Carmarthenshire | 3 | 3.94x |
| Montgomeryshire | 3 | 7.26x |
| Radnorshire | 3 | 20.60x |
| Shropshire | 3 | 1.92x |
| Caernarfonshire | 2 | 2.74x |
| Cardiganshire | 2 | 4.54x |
| Gloucestershire | 2 | 0.57x |
| Kent | 2 | 0.32x |
| Lanarkshire | 2 | 0.34x |
| Pembrokeshire | 2 | 3.49x |
| Renfrewshire | 2 | 1.43x |
| Wiltshire | 2 | 1.25x |
| Fife | 1 | 0.94x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 0.90x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 4.65x |
| Somerset | 1 | 0.34x |
| Suffolk | 1 | 0.46x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Longforgan in Perthshire leads with 9 Moris' recorded in 1881 and an index of 782.61x.
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Moris surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Mary | 12 |
| Jane | 7 |
| Ann | 6 |
| Sarah | 6 |
| Elizabeth | 4 |
| Alice | 3 |
| Emma | 3 |
| Harriet | 3 |
| Louise | 3 |
| Charlotte | 2 |
| Clara | 2 |
| Ethel | 2 |
| Hannah | 2 |
| Maria | 2 |
| Ada | 1 |
| Alie | 1 |
| Amelia | 1 |
| Betsey | 1 |
| Betty | 1 |
| Bright | 1 |
| Caroline | 1 |
| E.Ann | 1 |
| Edith | 1 |
| Elizth. | 1 |
| Ellen | 1 |
| Emily | 1 |
| Frances | 1 |
| Hanah | 1 |
| Harrait | 1 |
| Harriett | 1 |
| Helena | 1 |
| Jessie | 1 |
| Julia | 1 |
| Kate | 1 |
| Lillian | 1 |
| Margaret | 1 |
| Martha | 1 |
| Olive | 1 |
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Moris surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| William | 10 |
| John | 7 |
| Edward | 6 |
| James | 6 |
| David | 4 |
| Henry | 4 |
| Richard | 4 |
| Thomas | 4 |
| George | 3 |
| Albert | 2 |
| Benjamin | 2 |
| Evan | 2 |
| Harry | 2 |
| Lewis | 2 |
| Abraham | 1 |
| Abram | 1 |
| Alfred | 1 |
| Andrew | 1 |
| Asa | 1 |
| Charles | 1 |
| Frank | 1 |
| Gelbbery | 1 |
| Hopkin | 1 |
| Isaac | 1 |
| Joseph | 1 |
| Maon | 1 |
| Matthew | 1 |
| Michael | 1 |
| Moris | 1 |
| Morris | 1 |
| Moses | 1 |
| Owen | 1 |
| Paddy | 1 |
| Percival | 1 |
| Peter | 1 |
| Samual | 1 |
| Sidney | 1 |
| Simon | 1 |
| Squire | 1 |
| Willm.Hy. | 1 |
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Moris households.
FAQ
In 1881, 186 people were recorded with the Moris surname. That placed it at #13,448 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 92 in 2016. That gives Moris a modern rank of #32,035.
A Spanish surname derived from the ancient Greek name 'Moros', meaning 'mulberry tree'.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Moris bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.