Morgan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Morgan

What does the name Morgan mean?

The Morgan name is Celtic in origin, arising from the ancient Britons of Wales. It comes from the Old Welsh personal name Morcant, composed of the Welsh elements "mor," meaning "sea," and cant meaning "circle."

Early Origins of the Morgan family

The surname Morgan was first found in Caernarvonshire (Welsh: Sir Gaernarfon), a former county in Northwest Wales, anciently part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, and today divided between the unitary authorities of Gwynedd and Conwy. The surname is derived from the "Welsh personal name of high antiquity. The founder of the Pelagain heresy, in the fourth century, was a true Welshman and a monk of Bangor. His name was Morgan, which signifies 'Of the Sea' and this was correctly Latinized Pelagius. The Morgans of Golden Grove, co. Flint, descend from Marchudd ap Cynan, founder of the eighth noble tribe of North Wales and Powys. " 1

Early History of the Morgan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morgan research. Another 160 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1560, 1589, 1600, 1604, 1608, 1624, 1625, 1635, 1641, 1653, 1654, 1664, 1673, 1679, 1680, 1682, 1688, 1689, 1690, 1697, 1698, 1700, 1705, 1715, 1724, 1749, 1751, 1753, 1760, 1761, 1770, 1774, 1790 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Morgan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morgan Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Morgan have included Morgan, Morgen, Morgain, Morgaine and others.

Early Notables of the Morgan family

Admiral Sir Henry Morgan (ca. 1635-1688), Welsh pirate who raided Spanish ships and settlements in the Caribbean, and became acting Governor of Jamaica (1680-1682)
William Morgan (1560-1653), a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons of England in 1624 and 1625, supporter of the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
Thomas Morgan (c.1589-1664), a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654
Major-General Sir Thomas Morgan, 1st Baronet (1604-1679), a Welsh soldier during the English Civil War, Commander-in-Chief in Scotland during the Restoration
Robert Morgan (1608-1673), a Welsh bishop of Bangor
William Morgan (died 1690), English cartographer, best known for his large map of the City of London
Thomas Morgan, JP (1664-1700), a Welsh politician, Member of Parliament for Brecon (1689-1690) and (1698-1700), for Monmouthshire (1690-1705)
John Morgan (c.1641-1715), a Welsh merchant, High Sheriff of Monmouthshire in 1697, he purchased Rhiwperra Castle from a cousin as his home

Morgan World Ranking

the United States, the name Morgan is the 57^th most popular surname with an estimated 293,466 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Morgan is ranked the 173^rd most popular surname with an estimated 20,582 people with that name. 3 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Morgan is the 44^th popular surname with an estimated 514 people with that name. 4 Australia ranks Morgan as 68^th with 33,813 people. 5 New Zealand ranks Morgan as 30^th with 5,745 people. 6 The United Kingdom ranks Morgan as 38^th with 92,647 people. 7 South Africa ranks Morgan as 782^nd with 8,831 people. 8

Migration of the Morgan family to Ireland

Some of the Morgan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morgan migration to the United States +

Many Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Morgan were found:

Morgan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. William Morgan, aged 30, who arrived in Virginia in 1610 aboard the ship "Starr" 10
Benedict Morgan, from London, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the ship "Fortune" 11
Edmund Morgan, who settled in Virginia in 1623
Mr. Roger Morgan, who left England and arrived in Maryland in 1634 aboard the ship "Ark and Dove" 12
Mr. Walter Morgan, aged 23, who arrived in Virginia in 1634 aboard the ship "Bonaventure" coming via St. Domingo 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morgan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Morgan, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 11
David Morgan, who arrived in America in 1700 11
Enoch Morgan, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1701 11
Adam Morgan, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1747 11
George Morgan, who landed in America in 1760-1763 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morgan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Morgan, who arrived in America in 1806 11
Aron Morgan, who landed in America in 1809 11
Felix Morgan, aged 46, who landed in New York in 1812 11
Alexander Morgan, aged 45, who arrived in New York in 1812 11
Charles Morgan, aged 28, who landed in New York in 1812 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morgan migration to Canada +

Morgan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Dixey Morgan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mr. James Morgan U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 235 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 28, 1783 at Staten Island, New York, USA 13

Morgan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Henry Morgan, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1811
Anne Morgan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1818
Francis Morgan, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Forth" in 1833
Jane Morgan, aged 22, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Forth" in 1833
William Morgan, aged 16, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Forth" in 1833
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morgan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the First Fleet, Second Fleet and Third Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

First Fleet

Mr. John Morgan, British settler convicted at London, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 9
Mr. James Morgan, (1764 - 1790), aged 25, British settler convicted at Monmouthshire, Wales in 1787, sentenced to 7 years for stealing sheep, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 10
Miss Martha Morgan, Welsh settler convicted at Pembrokeshire, Wales in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Neptune, Scarborough or Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 10
Mr. John Morgan, (b. 1762), aged 27, British settler convicted at Somerset, England in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Surprize" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 10
Miss Mary Morgan, (1762 - 1835), aged 27, British settler convicted at Shrewsbury (Salop), England in 1789, sentenced to 14 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Neptune" leaving in 1789 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1790 10

Second Fleet

Mr. John Morgan, British settler convicted in Brecknockshire, Wales in 1789, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Atlantic" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 10
Mr. Morgan Morgan, (d. 1792), Welsh settler convicted in Glamorganshire, Wales in 1790, sentenced to Life for theft, transported aboard the ship "Atlantic" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 10
Mr. Philip Morgan, (d. 1791), British settler convicted in Herefordshire, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing feathers, transported aboard the ship "Britannia" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791, may have died on the ship 10
Mr. William Morgan, British settler convicted in Warwickshire, England in 1789, sentenced to 14 years for stealing a tankard, transported aboard the ship "Admiral Barrington" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 10
Mr. Morgan Morgan, British settler convicted in Brecknockshire, Wales in 1788, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Atlantic" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 10

Third Fleet

Mr. Richard Morgan, (b. 1761), aged 26, English settler convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire on 23rd March 1785, sentenced for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Alexander" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 10
Mr. Robert Morgan, (b. 1763), aged 24, English settler convicted in London on 26th May 1784, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 10
Mr. William Morgan, (b. 1767), aged 20, English labourer convicted in London on 15th September 1784, sentenced for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the ship "Scarborough" leaving in 1787 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1788 10

Following the First, Second and Third Fleets, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Morgan Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. George Morgan, English convict who was convicted in Devon, England for life, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14
Mr. Thomas Morgan, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 14

Morgan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Cornelius Morgan, Irish convict who was convicted in Dundalk, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
Mr. Hugh Morgan, Irish convict who was convicted in Dundalk, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
Mr. John Morgan, Irish convict who was convicted in Dundalk, Ireland for life, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
Mr. John Morgan, Irish convict who was convicted in Meath, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
Miss Ann Morgan, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Experiment" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morgan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Morgan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Jane Emily Morgan, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Aurora" in 1840
Robert Morgan, aged 20, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Phoebe Dunbar" between 1841 and 1850
Thomas Morgan, aged 32, a brickmaker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
Mary Ann Morgan, aged 34, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
John Morgan, aged 8, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morgan migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 17

Morgan Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Pierce Morgan, (b. 1612), aged 23, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Expedition" arriving in Barbados in 1636 18
Mr. William Morgan, (b. 1615), aged 20, British settler travelling aboard the ship "Expedition" arriving in Barbados in 1636 18
Evan Morgan, who settled in Barbados in 1680
Griffith Morgan, who settled in Jamaica in 1685

Contemporary Notables of the name Morgan (post 1700) +

John Pierpont "J.P." Morgan (1837-1913), American financier, banker and art collector who dominated corporate finance and industrial consolidation
Piers Morgan (b. 1965), né O'Meara, stage name of Piers Stefan Pughe-Morgan, an English broadcaster, journalist, writer, and television personality
Will Morgan (1966-2007), American politician for Minnesota (2007-2001) and (2013-2015)
William J. Morgan (1883-1983), American lawyer and politician, Wisconsin State Attorney General, 1921-23 19
William Mitchell Morgan (1870-1935), American politician, Ohio 17th District, 1921-31 20
William McKendree Morgan (1869-1942), American Lawyer and politician, Member of Idaho State House of Representatives, 1897-99, 1911-13; Mayor of Moscow, Idaho, 1906-08 20
William Yost Morgan (1866-1932), American newspaperman, author and politician, 21st Lieutenant Governor of Kansas (1915 - 1919) 20
William Albert Morgan (1841-1917), Irish-American newspaper publisher, and politician
William James Morgan (1840-1900), American newspaper editor and politician
... (Another 401 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Morgan family +

Arrow Air Flight 1285

Mr. Lindale Morgan (1959-1985), American Private 1st Class from Enfield, North Carolina, USA who died in the Arrow Air Flight 1285 crash 20
Stanley Morgan, Australian Donkeyman who survived when the ship "Centaur" an Australian hospital ship when torpedoed on 14th May 1943
Mr. James Morgan, British Trimmer from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 21
Mr. William Leslie Morgan (1894-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
Miss Lily Else Morgan (1893-1914), Canadian Second Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
... (Another 44 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's retrieved 29th September 2021. Retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
American War Memorials - Flight 1285. (Retrieved 2016, August 24) . Retrieved from http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/monument_details.php?SiteID=317&MemID=550
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html