Morpuss History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Morpuss is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Morpuss family lived in Malpas, a parish in the union of Wrexham in the county of Cheshire.

Early Origins of the Morpuss family

The surname Morpuss was first found in Cheshire at Malpas, a large village and former market town, in the unions of Nantwich, Great Boughton, and Wrexham, chiefly in the Higher division of the hundred of Broxton. The barony formed part of the possessions of Earl Edwin prior to the Conquest, and was given by the first Norman earl of Chester to Robert Fitz-Hugh, one of the eight barons of his parliament. The castle, the head of the barony, was built soon after the Conquest, and stood immediately adjoining the church, but today all that is left is a circular mound, on which the keep stood. The place name literally means "the difficult passage" from the Old French words mal + pas.

Early History of the Morpuss family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morpuss research. Another 76 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1625 and 1668 are included under the topic Early Morpuss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morpuss Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Malpas, Malpus, Malpass and others.

Early Notables of the Morpuss family

More information is included under the topic Early Morpuss Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Morpuss family to Ireland

Some of the Morpuss family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Morpuss family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Morpuss or a variant listed above: George Malpas arrived in Philadelphia in 1856.