Mortan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The surname Mortan is a habitation name; derived from one of several places so named in England and Scotland. The place name was made up of the Old English elements "morr," meaning "marsh, or moor," and "tun," meaning en enclosure or settlement, collectively, "the moor-ton, the farm or enclosure on the moor." 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Mortan family

The surname Mortan was first found in Wiltshire, where a Robert de Mortone was recorded in the Pipe Rolls for that county in 1130. As this name was formed from several different place names, entirely different lines of the Mortan surname arose throughout Britain. Other early records of the name include: William de Morton, on record in 1218 in the Feet of Fines for Oxford; and Thomas Morton, on record in the Feet of Fines for Surrey in 1432-33. 4

Another source states: "Cardinal Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor, temp. Henry Vii., was probably a descendant of the Norman knight. From the Cardinal's brother, Richard, descended the Mortons of Milbourne St. Andrew, co. Dorset, raised to the degree of baronets in 1619. " 5

Over in Lache-Dennis, Cheshire another early record of the family was found. "Ancient records mention a manor of Lach-Dennis or Lach-Park, near Rudheath, which, in the reign of Edward II., belonged to the Moreton family." 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 proved the wide migration of the family at that time: Robert de Morton, Nottinghamshire; Egidius de Morton, Northamptonshire; Richard de Morton, Oxfordshire; and Felicia de Morton, Lincolnshire. All held lands in their respective counties. 1

The Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I listed: Alicia de Morton, Yorkshire, Henry III- Edward I; and Michael de Morton, Salop (Shropshire.) 7

In Yorkshire, early records there show Rogerus de Morton and Johannes de Morton as holding lands there in 1379, according to the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls. 1

The Register of the University of Oxford shows John Morton, Leicestershire as attending there in 1594.

Early History of the Mortan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mortan research. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1087, 1420, 1486, 1487, 1493, 1500, 1564, 1616, 1626, 1627, 1637, 1641, 1645, 1659, 1661, 1662, 1682, 1685, 1698, 1699, 1705, 1715, 1716, 1721 and 1889 are included under the topic Early Mortan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mortan Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Morton, Moreton, Moretone, Morten, Mortyn and others.

Early Notables of the Mortan family

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Morton (c.1420-1500), English prelate, statesman, and Archbishop of Canterbury (1486-1500); and Sir George Morton, 1st Baronet (died 1662), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1626, supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War; and his son, Sir John Morton, 2nd Baronet (ca. 1627-1699), an English landowner and politician, Member of Parliament for Poole in 1661; Thomas Morton (1564-1659), an English churchman, bishop of several dioceses and favored by King James...
Another 88 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mortan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mortan family to Ireland

Some of the Mortan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 33 words (2 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 Mortan family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Thomas Morton (1622-47), English trader and adventurer in New England, who was in charge of the Merry Mount settlement, which came into conflict with the Plymouth settlers.

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)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)