| ![Show Contents]() Morkan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Morkan 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 Morkan familyThe surname Morkan 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 Morkan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morkan 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 Morkan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Morkan Spelling VariationsWelsh surnames are relatively few in number, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. There are many factors that explain the preponderance of Welsh variants, but the earliest is found during the Middle Ages when Welsh surnames came into use. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, which often resulted in a single person's name being inconsistently recorded over his lifetime. The transliteration of Welsh names into English also accounts for many of the spelling variations: the unique Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh had many sounds the English language was incapable of accurately reproducing. It was also common for members of a same surname to change their names slightly, in order to signify a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations. For all of these reasons, the many spelling variations of particular Welsh names are very important. The surname Morkan has occasionally been spelled Morgan, Morgen, Morgain, Morgaine and others. Early Notables of the Morkan familyProminent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was 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...
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Morkan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Morkan family to Ireland
Some of the Morkan 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.
| Morkan migration to the United States | + |
In the 1800s and 1900s, many Welsh families left for North America, in search of land, work, and freedom. Those who made the trip successfully helped contribute to the growth of industry, commerce, and the cultural heritage of both Canada and the United States. In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Morkan
Morkan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Bridget Morkan, aged 16, who arrived in America from Queenstown, Ireland, in 1892
Morkan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- Delia Morkan, aged 25, who arrived in America, in 1904
- William Morkan, aged 24, who arrived in America, in 1906
- Patrick Morkan, aged 20, who arrived in America from Nenagh, Ireland, in 1907
- Martin Morkan, aged 24, who arrived in America from Ballaghadereen, Ireland, in 1912
- Eileen Morkan, aged 4, who arrived in America from Limerick, Ireland, in 1913
| Contemporary Notables of the name Morkan (post 1700) | + |
- Michaela Morkan (b. 1990), Irish camogie player, winner of the 2009 All Ireland junior camogie medal
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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Morkan migration to the United States 
Wales
Ireland
