Origins Available: English,
Irish,
Welsh
The English surname Morrass comes from the place name St. Maurice,
Normandy where N. de St. Maurice was listed in the Magn. Rotul. of Normandie (1180-1195.) This
personal name is in turn derived from the Latin name Mauritius, which comes from maurus, meaning " a moor."
Early Origins of the Morrass family
The surname Morrass was first found in
Herefordshire. Early records there show Isabell, John and Margeries Morice in
England c. 1272. The same census shows William
filius Maurici in
Huntingdon, Richard filius Maurycii in Cambridge and Peter filius Maurice in Lincoln county. The surname may also be a
nickname for someone who was "swarthy" as shown by the Robert le Mareys reference in 1274.
Early History of the Morrass family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morrass research.
Another 215 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1308, 1314, 1297, 1678, 1654, 1721, 1682, 1703, 1704 and are included under the topic Early Morrass History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Morrass Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Morris, Morriss, Moriss, Morrice, Morice, Moris and others.
Early Notables of the Morrass family (pre 1700)
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Morrass Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Morrass family to Ireland
Some of the Morrass family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 143 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Morrass family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Richard Morris (d. 1672), who, after serving in Oliver Cromwell's army, became a merchant in Barbados, emigrated to New York City (Dutch New Amsterdam) where he purchased a tract of land in what is now the Bronx, starting a line of prominent American landowners and statesmen. Other settlers of the name include Humphrey Morris, on record in Barbados in 1635.