The
Anglo-Saxon name Morrelant comes from the family having resided on a moor, which is a tract of open, uncultivated ground which is usually grown over with heather and coarse grasses and has a poor, peaty soil. The surname Morrelant literally means
dweller by the moor-land. The surname Morrelant belongs to the class of
topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.
Early Origins of the Morrelant family
The surname Morrelant was first found in
Westmorland. The Mauley branch of the family claim Ugthorpe in the North Riding of
Yorkshire as their ancient ancestral home. "This was an ancient demesne of the crown, and is styled in
Domesday Book Ughetorp; the Mauleys became lords here at an early period, and from them the manor and estate descended by marriage to the Bigods, and afterwards to the Ratcliffes, by whom the whole was sold in parcels."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Early History of the Morrelant family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morrelant research.
Another 164 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1190, 1625, 1695, 1660, 1789 and are included under the topic Early Morrelant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Morrelant Spelling Variations
Morrelant has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few
hundred years,
spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Morland, Morley, Moorland, Morthland, Morlay and many more.
Early Notables of the Morrelant family (pre 1700)
Notables of this surname at this time include: Sir Samuel Morland (1625-1695), notable English academic, diplomat, spy, inventor and mathematician, made 1st
Baronet Morland in 1660; the...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Morrelant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Morrelant family to Ireland
Some of the Morrelant family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 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 Morrelant family to the New World and Oceana
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in
England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Morrelants to arrive on North American shores: Thomas Morland, who settled in Virginia in 1650; Ed Morland, who settled in Virginia in 1663; William Morland, who came to Boston in 1762; Eleanor Morland, a bonded passenger, who arrived in Virginia in 1774.