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From www.HouseOfNames.com Archives copyright © 2000 - 2009
Origin Displayed: Welsh
Where did the Welsh Morgan family come from? What is the Welsh coat of arms/family crest? When did the Morgan family first arrive in the United States? Where did the various branches of the family go? What is the history of the family name?
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."The Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. The earliest explanation for the preponderance of spelling variations is that when Welsh surnames initially developed the vast majority of the population was illiterate. It was therefore up to the priest or the scribe taking the official records to determine how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Morgan have included Morgan, Morgen, Morgain, Morgaine and others.
First found in Caernarvonshire, where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
During the latter half of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, the people of Wales journeyed to North America to find a new life. They made major contributions to the arts, industry and commerce of both Canada and the United States, and added a rich cultural heritage to their newly adopted societies. A look at the immigration and passenger lists has shown a number of people bearing the name Morgan: Robert Morgaine, who settled in Virginia in 1623; Edmund Morgan settled in Virginia in 1623; Evan Morgan settled in Barbados in 1680; George Morgan settled in Virginia in 1663.
For more information on the last name Morgan, the PDF Surname History is available for purchase as well as other products.
Suggested Readings for the name Morgan
- The Morgan Family History by Alice Helper Morgan.
- An American Family: Morgan by Patricia Gausnell.
Some noteworthy people of the name Morgan
- Junius Spencer Morgan (1813-1890), American financier and philanthropist, who founded JS Morgan & Company
- Edmund Sears Morgan (b. 1916), eminent authority on early American history awarded a special citation in 2006 by the Pulitzer Prize jury
- Julia Morgan (1872-1957), American architect who designed over 700 buildings in California and Hawaii, best known for Hearst Castle
- Thomas Hunt Morgan (1866-1945), American geneticist and embryologist awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1933
- John Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), American financier, banker and art collector who dominated corporate finance and industrial consolidation
- Lewis Henry Morgan (1818-1881), American pioneering anthropologist and social theorist, and one of the greatest American social scientists of the nineteenth century
- Second Lieutenant John C Morgan (1914-1991), American Army Air Forces pilot awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1943
- Frank Morgan (1890-1949), American actor best known for his portrayal of the title character in the film The Wizard of Oz
- Harry Morgan (b. 1915), American television actor perhaps best-known as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H
- William Wilson Morgan (1906-1994), American astronomer. Asteroid 3180 Morgan is named after him
- Admiral Sir Henry Morgan (1635-1688), one of the most notorious and successful privateers from Wales, and one of the most dangerous pirates who worked in the Spanish Main
- Conwy Lloyd Morgan (1852-1936), English psychologist, professor of zoology at University College, Bristol (1887-1909)
- Charles Langbridge Morgan (1894-1958), English playwright and novelist awarded the Legion of Honour in 1936
- Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Edgeworth Morgan KCB (1894-1967), British army officer in the Second World War best known as the original planner of Operation Overlord, the invasion of western Europe
- Peter Morgan (b. 1963), English Academy Award nominated screenwriter and playwright
- Sally Jane Morgan (b. 1951), Australian Aboriginal author, dramatist, and artist
- Sir William Morgan KCMG (1828-1883), Premier of South Australia between 1878 and 1881
Tell Me More About Family Crests
Family Crests: the Heraldic Artist
We have researched the Morgan family crest in the most recognized sources. Before an artist or craftsman can render a family crest, it must exist. In other words the crest must have been designed and recorded by the heralds from time immemorial.
Heraldic designs matriculated by the lay-artist in many cases becomes uninspired, meretricious and even ugly...
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Family Crests: Timeline
Many of the symbols adopted into armory have been used since the time of the ancient Egyptians, but heraldry itself did not begin until the 11th century. In continental Europe, the most ancient recorded family crest was discovered upon the monumental effigy of a Count of Wasserburg in the church of St. Emeran, at Ratisobon, Germany...
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Family Crests: Elements
In the Morgan coat of arms as in all coat of arms the crest is only one element of the full armorial achievement. Again the Family Crest is just part of the story of Coats of Arms or Heraldry. Heraldry is defined as the hereditary art or science of blazoning, the description is appropriate technical terms of Coats-of-Arms and other heraldic and armorial insignia, and is of very ancient origin...
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Family Crests and Genealogy: how they relate
We encourage you to study the Morgan genealogy to find out if you descend from someone who bore a particular family crest. Anyone making a study of heraldry usually becomes interested in Genealogy or seeking legal claim to a particular family crest. No families, not even the royal houses, can make sound claim to the right to bear arms unless a proven connection is established through attested Genealogical records...
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Morgan Family Crest Products
Anniversary products for the name Morgan. Apparel with a Morgan coat of arms. Armorial histories for the name Morgan. Ceramics proudly displaying the Morgan family crest. Clip art of all the most used heraldic pieces. Coat of Arms for the name Morgan. Downloads with the coat of arms for the name Morgan. Family Crest for the name Morgan. Family Tree for the Morgan family crest. Hand Painted Plaques displaying the Morgan family crest. Keychains proudly displaying the Morgan family crest. Mouse pads revealing the family crest for the surname Morgan. New Products with a Morgan family crest. Packages with the family crest for the name Morgan. Plaques and Frames for the Morgan family crest. Surname Histories for the name Morgan. Symbolism for the Morgan family crest. Travel Mugs displaying the family crest for the name Morgan. |
The Morgan Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Morgan Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.
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