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Morris Family History

Morris Surname Meaning

English and Scottish: from Maurice an Old French personal name introduced to Britain by the Normans. It is derived from Latin Mauritius a derivative of Maurus (see Moore ). This was the name of several early Christian saints. In some cases it may be a nickname of the same derivation for someone with a swarthy complexion. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Muirghis a variant of Ó Muirgheasa (see Morrissey ). Welsh: Anglicized form of the personal name Meurig (from Latin Mauritius) which was gradually superseded in Wales by Morus Morys a derivative of the Anglo-Norman French form of the name (see 1 above). German: variant of Moritz and in North America (also) an altered form of this. Americanized form of French Maurice a cognate of 1 above. Americanized form of various like-sounding Jewish surnames (see Morse ).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Moris, Harris, Norris, Corris, Borris, Orris, Ferris, Boris, Moers

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Morris family from?

You can see how Morris families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Morris family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Morris families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 417 Morris families living in Ohio. This was about 12% of all the recorded Morris's in USA. Ohio had the highest population of Morris families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Morris surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Morris ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Morris. 16% of Morris men worked as a Laborer and 6% of Morris women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Morris were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Morris | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    16%
  • Farmer
    14%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    6%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Teacher
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Morris family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2 million census records available for the last name Morris. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Morris census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

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Passenger Lists

There are 282,000 immigration records available for the last name Morris. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 387,000 military records available for the last name Morris. For the veterans among your Morris ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Morris lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Morris life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Morris in 1940 was 34, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Morris

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