| ![Show Contents]() Morten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of MortenWhat does the name Morten mean? In ancient Scotland, the first people to use Morten as a surname were the Strathclyde-Britons. It was a name someone who lived in Dumfriesshire at Morton, a parish containing, with the village of Thornhill, and part of Carronbridge. "The name of Morton, which is Anglo-Saxon, signifies "the stronghold or dwelling on the moor;" and the parish appears to have been thus denominated from the old castle of Morton, a very strong place, the striking ruins of which are still to be seen upon an extensive moor at the bottom of a beautiful green hill. This castle is supposed to have been originally the possession of a Norman chief named de Moreville, whose family had settled in Scotland in the 10th century, obtained a large part of the estates in this neighbourhood, and risen to great power and eminence. He was appointed hereditary lord high constable of Scotland; and his grandson, Hugo de Moreville, in the year 1140, founded the monastery of Kilwinning, in Ayrshire, and in 1144 the abbey of Dryburgh, in Teviotdale." 1 Early Origins of the Morten familyThe surname Morten was first found in Dumfriesshire at Morton. One of the first records of the family was "Hugh de Mortun, prior of May, c. 1204-11. William de Mortun who witnessed a grant of the churches of Trauerflat and Dungray to the Abbey of Kelso in 1266, may be W. de Mortun, rector of the church of Dunbenauch, 1269. Thomas de Mortoun held the mill of Mortoun, Dumfriesshire, 1376, and John de Mortoun was provost of the Collegiate Church of Bothevile, 1413." 2 The same author postulates the the origin of the name may also Of territorial origin from the lands of Myrton or Myretoun, afterwards Morton, in the parish of Kemback, Fife. The Myretons, Myretouns, or Mortons of Cambo were an old and considerable family in Fife, who took their surname from these lands. The family "are said to have derived their name from an ancestor in the fourteenth century, who held office as mair of the barony of Crail, and whose own lands were designated Mairtoun. But it is more probable that the family were named from the character or condition of their lands-Myretoun being a corrupt form of Muirtown." 2 Early History of the Morten familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Morten research. Another 237 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1051, 1160, 1170, 1361, 1373, 1422, 1429, 1431, 1446, 1514, 1544, 1559, 1581, 1584, 1590, 1598, 1647, 1694, 1820, 1869 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Morten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Morten Spelling VariationsThe origin of rules governing the spelling of names and even words is a very recent innovation. Before that, words and names were spelled according to sound, and, therefore, often appeared under several different spelling variations in a single document. Morten has been spelled Morton, Moreton, Moorton, Myrton and others. Early Notables of the Morten familyNotable among the family at this time was James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton (d. 1581), Scottish nobleman, who ruled as a regent for James IV; a line of Moretons, who were Earls of Ducie, as well as John Morton of York, who was the Archbisop of Canterbury and Lord Chancellor of England during the reign of Henry...
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Morten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Morten family to IrelandSome of the Morten family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Morten migration to the United States | + |
The persecution faced in their homeland left many Scots with little to do but sail for the colonies of North America. There they found land, freedom, opportunity, and nations in the making. They fought for their freedom in the American War of Independence, or traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In both cases, they made enormous contributions to the formation of those great nations. Among them:
Morten Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- William Morten, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 3
Morten Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Tobias Morten, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 3
Morten Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Mary Morten, aged 25, who arrived in New York in 1849 3
- Patrick Morten, aged 27, who landed in New York in 1849 3
| Contemporary Notables of the name Morten (post 1700) | + |
- Walter Morten Grunwald (1934-2018), Danish actor, stage director and theatre manager
- Per Morten Kristiansen (b. 1981), Norwegian football goalkeeper
- Knud Morten Lange (1919-2003), Danish mycologist and politician
- Carl Morten Amundsen (b. 1961), Norwegian dramaturg and theatre director
- Morten Stig Christensen (1958-2024), Danish television presenter and former handball player
- Morten Karlsen (b. 1979), Danish footballer
- Morten Diderik Emil Lambrechts (1824-1900), Norwegian jurist and politician, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway (1887–1900)
- Morten Halle (b. 1957), Norwegian jazz musician
- Morten Thrane Brünnich (1737-1827), Danish naturalist
| Historic Events for the Morten family | + |
- Mr. Thomas A Morten (b. 1912), English Engine Room Artificer 4th Class serving for the Royal Navy from South Bank, Middlesbrough, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 4
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- 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)
- 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)
- H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
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