| ![Show Contents]() Morcan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of MorcanWhat does the name Morcan mean? The Morcan 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 Morcan familyThe surname Morcan 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 Morcan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morcan 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 Morcan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Morcan Spelling VariationsThere 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 Morcan have included Morgan, Morgen, Morgain, Morgaine and others. Early Notables of the Morcan familyAdmiral 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...
Another 83 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Morcan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Morcan family to IrelandSome of the Morcan 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.
| Morcan migration to the United States | + |
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 Morcan:
Morcan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Catherine Morcan, who settled in Boston in 1871
- Margaret Morcan, who arrived in Boston in 1871
- Patrick Morcan, who arrived in Boston in 1871
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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