Contents [hide]

Morse History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Morse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Morse

What does the name Morse mean?

The distinguished surname Morse emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. One of the most common classes of surname is the patronymic surname, which was usually derived from the first name of the person's father. Flemish surnames of this type are often characterized by the diminutive suffix -kin, which became very frequent in England during the 14th century. The surname Morse is derived from the Old French name Maur, which is derived from the Latin personal name Mauritius, which means Moorish or dark. Morse is a late form of the surname. 1 2

Alternatively the name could have been derived from "Mawr and rys, a hero, a warrior, a brave man. " 3

Early Origins of the Morse family

The surname Morse was first found in Gloucestershire where, conjecturally being of Flemish origin they were one of the many settlers who were invited into England to improve the industrial capabilities of the nation. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included Robert le Moreys, Somerset and later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Elena Morys and Johannes Morys. 1

Thomas Morse was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1434 and later, William Morse was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Durham in 1524. Richard Morse was also found there in 1642. 5

Early History of the Morse family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morse research. Another 239 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1575, 1610, 1771, 1791, 1807 and 1872 are included under the topic Early Morse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Morse Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Mors, Morse, Mawse and others.

Early Notables of the Morse family

Prominent in the family at this time was

Samuel Morse (1791-1872) inventor of Morse code and the man who started telegraphy

Morse Ranking

In the United States, the name Morse is the 709^th most popular surname with an estimated 42,279 people with that name. 6

Morse migration to the United States +

In the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Morse

Morse Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Joseph Morse, aged 24, from Essex, who arrived in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Elizabeth", bound for Watertown 7
Joseph Morse, aged 20, from Essex, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Increase". bound for Dedham 7
Samuell Morse, aged 50, from Essex, who landed in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "Increase", bound for Dedham 7
William Morse, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship "James", bound for Newbury 7
Elizabeth Morse, aged 48, from Essex, who arrived in New England aboard the ship "Increase", bound for Dedham
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morse Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Francis Morse, who landed in Virginia in 1700 7
Michael Morse, settled in Boston in 1765

Morse Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Barney Morse, aged 30, who arrived in Maryland in 1813 7
Abraham Morse, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1824 7
John Morse, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 7
William Morse, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1846 7
J Morse, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morse migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Morse Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Abner Morse, who landed in Anapolis (Annapolis), Nova Scotia in 1760
Samuel Morse, who landed in Anapolis (Annapolis), Nova Scotia in 1760
Phillip Morse, who settled in Trinity Bay, Newfoundland in 1767

Morse Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Ben Morse, a Welshman, jumped his ship, the Perseverance, at St. John's, Newfoundland in 1818 8
Samuel Morse, who arrived in Canada in 1832
Moses W Morse, who arrived in Canada in 1836
Moses Webster Morse, who landed in Canada in 1841

Morse migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Morse Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Morse, English convict who was convicted in Bridgewater, Somerset, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 27th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
Mr. John Morse, English convict who was convicted in Wiltshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
Mr. Daniel Morse, British Convict who was convicted in Gloucester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 20th July 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. Robert Morse, Welsh convict who was convicted in Glamorganshire, Wales for 10 years, transported aboard the "David Clarke" on 3rd June 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Charles Morse, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Competitor" in 1848 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morse migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Morse Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. James Morse, British settler, as the 2nd Detachment of New Zealand Corps of Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Minerva" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 8th October 1847 14
Mr. Thomas Morse, (b. 1831), aged 31, English farm labourer, from Gloustershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 15
Mrs. Priscila Morse, (b. 1834), aged 28, English settler, from Gloustershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 15
Mr. Richard Morse, (b. 1837), aged 25, English labourer, from Gloustershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 15
Miss Mary Morse, (b. 1857), aged 5, English settler, from Gloustershire travelling from London aboard the ship "Queen of Mersey" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 20th October 1862 15
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Morse migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 16

Morse Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

John and Oliver Morse, who settled in Barbados in 1660

Contemporary Notables of the name Morse (post 1700) +

Samuel Finley Breese Morse (1791-1872), American inventor and portrait painter, but best known as the co-inventor of "Morse Code"
Dan Morse (1938-2023), American multiple award winning bridge player from Houston, Texas
James L. Morse (1940-2023), American jurist, Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court (1988–2003)
Robert Alan Morse (1931-2022), American two-time Tony award winning, Primetime Emmy Award winning actor and singer, perhaps best known for his starring role as Truman Capote
Brigadier-General Winslow Carroll Morse (1904-1990), American Chief of Staff, Caribbean Air Command (1954-1956) 17
Henry Woolson Morse (1858-1897), American composer of musical theatre
Jedidiah Morse (1761-1826), American geographer whose textbooks became a standard for students throughout America, father of telegraphy inventor Samuel F. B. Morse
David Bowditch Morse (b. 1953), award-winning American stage, television, and film actor
Charles Copeland Morse (1842-1900), American businessman known as the "American Seed King", co-founder of the Ferry-Morse Seed Company
David Morse (1907-1990), American lawyer, Legion of Merit awarded soldier, and bureaucrat
... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Morse family +

HMS Repulse

Mr. Stanley Morse, British Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 18
Mr. Peter John Morse, British Stoker 1st Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 18

HMS Royal Oak

David Llewellyn Griffiths Morse (1922-1939), British Boy 1st Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 19

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Robert Morse, English 1st Class Cabin Bed Steward from Rock Ferry, Cheshire, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 20

USS Arizona

Mr. George Robert Morse, American Seaman Second Class from Montana, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 21
Mr. Norman Roi Morse, American Water Tender Second Class from Virginia, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 21
Mr. Edward Charles Morse, American Seaman Second Class from Michigan, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 21
Mr. Francis Jerome Morse, American Boatswain's Mate First Class from California, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 21

USS Indianapolis

Kendall Harold Morse, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 22

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th February 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1837
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-clarke
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) COMPETITOR 1848. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1848Competitor.gif
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Winslow Morse. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Morse/Winslow_Carroll/USA.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew