NameCensus.

UK surname

Morland

A surname derived from a place name or locality.

In the 1881 census there were 842 people recorded with the Morland surname, ranking it #4,478 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,273, ranked #4,705, down from #4,478 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside and Lancaster Borough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Eden and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Morland is 1,333 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 51.2%.

1881 census count

842

Ranked #4,478

Modern count

1,273

2016, ranked #4,705

Peak year

1999

1,333 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Morland had 842 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,478 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,273 in 2016, ranked #4,705.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,087 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Morland surname distribution map

The map shows where the Morland surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Morland surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Morland over time

The 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 668 #3,891
1861 historical 656 #4,086
1881 historical 842 #4,478
1891 historical 956 #4,327
1901 historical 1,019 #4,683
1911 historical 1,087 #4,266
1997 modern 1,263 #4,511
1998 modern 1,321 #4,499
1999 modern 1,333 #4,487
2000 modern 1,330 #4,480
2001 modern 1,284 #4,534
2002 modern 1,300 #4,571
2003 modern 1,258 #4,620
2004 modern 1,268 #4,591
2005 modern 1,241 #4,626
2006 modern 1,246 #4,623
2007 modern 1,264 #4,597
2008 modern 1,266 #4,615
2009 modern 1,272 #4,707
2010 modern 1,267 #4,817
2011 modern 1,262 #4,780
2012 modern 1,253 #4,734
2013 modern 1,282 #4,716
2014 modern 1,306 #4,658
2015 modern 1,290 #4,664
2016 modern 1,273 #4,705

Geography

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Where Morlands are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas, Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Lancaster Borough, London parishes and Gateshead. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Eden and County Durham. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Abingdon St Helen, Abingdon St Nicholas Berkshire
2 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
3 Lancaster Borough Lancashire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gateshead Durham

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Eden 007 Eden
2 County Durham 038 County Durham
3 County Durham 059 County Durham
4 Eden 006 Eden
5 County Durham 027 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Morland

These lists show first names that appear often with the Morland surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Morland

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Morland, 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

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Morland surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Morland household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Morland is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Morland is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Morland falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Morland is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Morland, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Morland

The surname MORLAND is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the 13th century. It is a toponymic name, derived from various places in England named Morland or Moreland. These place names are believed to have originated from the Old English words "mor" meaning "moor" or "marsh," and "land" meaning "land" or "estate."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MORLAND can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Robert de Morland in Westmorland (now part of Cumbria). This suggests that the name may have originated from the village of Morland in the Eden Valley of Cumbria.

Another early reference to the name MORLAND appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Morlandia" in relation to estates in Berkshire and Gloucestershire.

During the medieval period, the MORLAND surname was particularly prevalent in Cumbria and the surrounding areas of northern England. Notable individuals bearing this name include Sir Samuel Morland (1625-1695), an English diplomat, inventor, and mathematician who was appointed as the Master of Mechanics to King Charles II.

In the 17th century, George Morland (1763-1804) was a renowned English painter known for his depictions of rural life and landscapes. He is considered one of the great masters of the English Romantic tradition.

Another notable figure was Henry Robert Morland (1719-1797), an English painter and engraver who is remembered for his works depicting high society and aristocratic life in the 18th century.

In the 19th century, Sir Thomas Longmore Morland (1804-1888) was a prominent British architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Royal School of Mines in London.

Lastly, Sir Samuel Morland (1838-1916) was a British diplomat and civil servant who served as the Governor of the Leeward Islands from 1887 to 1893.

While the MORLAND surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration and colonization. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English words that describe the marshy or moorland areas where the name first emerged.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Morland families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Morland surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Durham leads with 148 Morlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.06x.

County Total Index
Durham 148 6.06x
Lancashire 145 1.49x
Yorkshire 113 1.39x
Berkshire 65 10.56x
Middlesex 60 0.73x
Westmorland 55 30.50x
Surrey 48 1.20x
Wigtownshire 38 34.88x
Lanarkshire 24 0.90x
Cumberland 23 3.26x
Kent 17 0.61x
Northumberland 14 1.15x
Gloucestershire 13 0.81x
Midlothian 12 1.09x
Sussex 9 0.65x
Somerset 8 0.61x
Cheshire 7 0.39x
Wiltshire 6 0.83x
Glamorgan 5 0.35x
Bedfordshire 4 0.94x
Hampshire 4 0.24x
Staffordshire 4 0.14x
West Lothian 3 2.43x
Devon 2 0.12x
Essex 2 0.12x
Flintshire 2 0.91x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.30x
Hertfordshire 1 0.18x
Lincolnshire 1 0.08x
Norfolk 1 0.08x
Northamptonshire 1 0.13x
Renfrewshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 1.02x
Shropshire 1 0.14x
Suffolk 1 0.10x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Toxteth Park in Lancashire leads with 20 Morlands recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.07x.

Place Total Index
Toxteth Park 20 6.07x
Bucklebury 18 560.75x
Lancaster 18 31.08x
Leeds 17 3.70x
Oldham 16 5.09x
West Derby 16 5.62x
Stranraer 15 150.60x
Kaber 14 2500.00x
Abingdon St Helen 13 72.22x
Gateshead 13 7.11x
Croydon 12 5.41x
Framwellgate 12 82.99x
Govan 12 1.83x
Crosby Ravensworth 11 500.00x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 11 2.49x
Elswick 11 11.29x
Newington 11 3.63x
Preston 11 4.22x
Everton 10 3.22x
Kirkmaiden 10 145.14x
Liverpool 10 1.69x
Bishopwearmouth 9 4.30x
Brandon Byshottles 9 29.43x
Darlington 9 9.55x
Esh 9 50.68x
Hackney London 9 1.96x
Warton With Lindeth 9 220.59x
West Rainton 9 119.21x
Burton 8 421.05x
Hempstead 8 406.09x
Kensington London 8 1.75x
Middleton St George 8 261.44x
St George In East 8 14.34x
Chopwell 7 154.19x
Doncaster 7 11.79x
Gomersal 7 18.45x
Knaresborough 7 54.82x
Tanfield 7 24.12x
Alderbury 6 175.95x
Bishop Monkton 6 441.18x
Boldon 6 68.97x
Glastonbury 6 55.66x
Hedleyhope 6 141.84x
Inch 6 56.50x
Leswalt 6 80.43x
Middlesbrough 6 5.67x
Middridge 6 247.93x
Mile End Old Town 6 4.63x
Plompton 6 1276.60x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 3.63x
Tilehurst 6 48.23x
West Tanfield 6 387.10x
Westoe 6 4.34x
Willington 6 42.55x
Workington 6 14.84x
Ashton Under Lyne 5 2.35x
Barony 5 0.74x
Barrow In Furness 5 3.78x
Brighton 5 1.79x
Carshalton 5 32.68x
Egham 5 20.37x
Greenwich 5 3.83x
Hunslet 5 3.94x
Kings Meaburn 5 980.39x
Limehouse London 5 5.55x
Maidstone 5 6.00x
Medomsley 5 43.94x
Merthyr Tydfil 5 3.64x
Reading St Mary 5 10.14x
Sculcoates 5 3.88x
St George Martyr 5 36.15x
Whitworth 5 27.98x
Abingdon St Nicholas 4 233.92x
Bilton Cum Harrogate 4 14.39x
Cleator 4 13.61x
Dalton In Furness 4 10.64x
Islington London 4 0.50x
North Meols 4 4.20x
Silverdale 4 291.97x
Stockton On Tees 4 3.40x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Morland surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 57
Elizabeth 31
Margaret 24
Sarah 20
Ann 19
Alice 17
Annie 13
Jane 12
Eliza 9
Ellen 9
Maria 7
Eleanor 6
Emily 6
Emma 6
Hannah 6
Amelia 4
Caroline 4
Frances 4
Lucy 4
Martha 4
Rose 4
Agnes 3
Esther 3
Ethel 3
Harriet 3
Isabella 3
Julia 3
Kate 3
Louisa 3
Ruth 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Dorothy 2
Elizth. 2
Elsie 2
Florence 2
Harriett 2
Helen 2
Janet 2
Jessie 2
Mabel 2
Nancy 2
Rebecca 2
Susan 2
Cath.Ann 1
Elbth. 1
Eliz. 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Morland surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 63
William 53
Thomas 40
George 21
James 20
Henry 16
Charles 15
Richard 12
Robert 12
Joseph 11
Edward 10
Alfred 6
Francis 5
Fred 5
Frederick 5
Albert 4
Frank 4
Arthur 3
Jacob 3
Michael 3
Walter 3
Alex 2
Benjamin 2
Bolton 2
Chas. 2
Dennis 2
Geo. 2
Harry 2
Hugh 2
Leonard 2
Oliver 2
Peter 2
Philip 2
Wm. 2
Adam 1
Alexander 1
Bertram 1
Caleb 1
Earnest 1
Edwin 1
Eli 1
Ernest 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Jorgen 1
Lennard 1
M. 1
Maitland 1
Matthew 1
Wm.Jas. 1

FAQ

Morland surname: questions and answers

How common was the Morland surname in 1881?

In 1881, 842 people were recorded with the Morland surname. That placed it at #4,478 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Morland surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,273 in 2016. That gives Morland a modern rank of #4,705.

What does the Morland surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name or locality.

What does the Morland map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Morland bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

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.