Morralay is a name that first reached
England following the
Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from the medieval given name
Morel. The name was originally derived from the name
More or
Moore a
nickname for a
someone of dark complexion. This name stems from the Old French word
Moor, meaning
black man.Early Origins of the Morralay family
The surname Morralay was first found in
Northumberland where one of the first records of the name was found at North Middleton, a township, in the parish of Hartburn. "This place, which was also called MiddletonMorell, from an ancient proprietor named Morell, was afterwards divided among various proprietors."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Early History of the Morralay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morralay research.
Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1620, 1704, 1795, 1839, 1788 and 1880 are included under the topic Early Morralay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Morralay Spelling Variations
Before English spelling was standardized a few
hundred years ago,
spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Morralay include Morrell, Morel, Morrel, Morrall, Morrill, Murrill and others.
Early Notables of the Morralay family (pre 1700)
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Mary Morrill (Morrel/Morrills/Morill)
(c. 1620-1704), birth name of Mary Folger, English-born indentured servant in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, grandmother of Benjamin Franklin; Benjamin...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Morralay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Morralay family to the New World and Oceana
In
England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Morralays to arrive on North American shores: David Morrell settled in Virginia in 1656; Nicholas Morrel settled in Barbados with his wife, son in 1679; he later moved to Boston; Mary Morrell and her husband settled in Barbados in 1694.
The Morralay Motto
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Bono animo esto
Motto Translation: Be of Good Courage