Last name: Morgan

This is a truly famous surname whose Gaelic-Celtic ancestry pre-dates Christianity. Originally, the name was purely personal and spelt as "Morcant", the change to Morgan being medieval. The exact meaning is uncertain but "sea chief" or "sea defender" are the generally accepted interpretations. The importance of the name is shown by its incorporation in the ancient Welsh kingdom of Glamorgan, a corrupt form of "Ap Morgan", the son of Morgan. The first true recording as a surname is however English (see below). In Wales the first recording may be Thomas Morgaine, Knight of Monmouth, in 1538, whilst in Scotland, one John Morgane was a burgess of Glasgow in 1419. In Ireland the name is popular in Leinster and Ulster, and in some cases is an Anglicization of Merrigan and Morahan, the first recording being that of Edward Morgane, of Dublin, on April 26th 1654. Not only does the name indicate a sea warrior, it is with the sea that the Morgan name has won most renown. Amongst these famous people was Sir Henry Morgan, Governor of Jamaica and the epitome of the privateering buccaneer of the 17th Century. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Morgan, which was dated 1214, in the "Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire", during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Visitor Comments

McGhillies
Great Grandmother came from Dublin, ( Alice Morgan) during the emmigration to NZ 1800's. Would like to know of any remaing Morgans in Dublin.

Leon
Im a Morgan born and bred Dublin.At least 6-7 generations before me from Dublin also.

Liz Sterling
My grandfather's grandmother Mary Armenia was a Morgan, her father was Daniel Morgan I think born in Ireland 1830'2 (?). Her mother was Susan Matilda Conklin of the US. Trying to find my Morgan family before I visit from the US in October.

Leon
Liz.Online census records are available for 1901 and 1911.It is difficult to trace family names in Ireland as a huge amount of data was destroyed in the fires in the Four Courts during the civil war.Church records are your best source and a visit to the National Library may set you up well. You can meet with a geneologist also who will guide you.Also check the Ellis island transportation records as your relatives may have entered the US through there.

Liz
Thank you so very much!

Elizabeth Sherrington
My grandmother was Elizabeth Morgan and lived in Dublin. May I suggest you check 1910 cenus. The Morgans I know about came to Dublin from Co.Longford

Liz Sterling
Thank you very much!

Alun
The name of the county of Glamorgan is derived from a contraction of "Gwlad Morgan", meaning "Morgan's Country"; this refers to Morgan ab Arthwys,it's 6th century ruler.

Roy Morgan
My grandfather's name was Fredrick Charles Morgan. He was aparently originally from Aberyswyth in mid-Wales. He moved to Liverpool. I would be interested in anyone knows of family links.

Bryan Morgan
I was always under the impression Morgan was a Welsh name.

Jack Morgan
My father's name was Arthur Morgan (Chic) he was from the Forest of Dean and lived in Bream if anyone has any information on him I would be most interested (he died in 1956) a little more info to help he had a sister by the name of Hancock/Hancox who ran a pub in Lydney called The Rifleman's Arms

Kevin Morgan
Jack, my family are so from the lydney morgans, seems we pretty well covered the village, i have a full family history of my line going back to circa 1748 and am very interested in the connection

Brian Morgan
I'd always thought of Morgan being Welsh, but I understand that there was a clan McKay or 'Morgan' in northwest Scotland. Amazingly, my mothers name was McKay (from Glasgow) and my fathers name was Morgan (from Bolton)!

James Morgan
I come from the Morgan Clan in scotland... at least i think either my Great Grandfather or my Great Great grandfather came from Scotland.

Dennis Morgan
My Morgans are from Loughglynn and surrounding townlands like Ballyglass East in Co Rosccommon. They live on the Lord Dillon estate. My great grandfather, John Morgan came to the US around 1847 and settled in RI. His parents were Walter and Mary (Crane) Morgan. Anybody out there connected to this family or has a family who came from this area of Ireland?

Elizabth Sherrington
My Morgan family came from Roscommon too ! My grand mother was Elizabeth Morgan she married a John Thornton in Stillorgan Dublin.Her father was a gardener.

David Morgan
I have traced my ancestors (Morgans) to a village in Hampshire called Broughton, where generations lived between 1650 - 1900. They were farm workers or shepherds. My theory is that the original Morgan in the village was a drover from somewhere in Wales. Sheep and cattle, were required by the Navy at Portsmouth, for 'processing' into on board ship - food stores. From Wales, the sheep or cattle being 'driven' would have to cross the river Severn at Gloucester. The village of Broughton is close to a straight line between Gloucester and Portsmouth. So did one of my ancestors (a drover) meet a girl when staying overnight in Broughton and on the long walk back to Wales, decided to walk no further ?

Luke
I am decended to Sir Henry Morgan, I win :)

Lauren
My paternal grandmother's maiden name was Morgan and she was from Dublin :) She and my grandfather (who was from Newry, a town an hour or two from Belfast) emigrated to Canada in the 1950s.

December Morgan-Black
My mother's maiden name was Morgan, and she was from Sunderland :)

kevin morgan
what were her other names and birth date? a lot of my family are from sunderland

Michelle Kolano
The Morgan name is also associated with years of Black history but I don't understand how or when that intersection occured, anybody know? (my maiden name is Morgan so I count somewhere right?)

Larry D Conroy
My Grandfather: William Henry David Morgan was married to a Anwyll Matilda and believed to be from Malvern Wales. Church Builders - Carpenters and Violin/piano musical also. Believed to have come to Ontario Canada approx 1850-1860. Settling in the Maskoka County -Huntsville. Daughter Anne Matilda Morgan married John Edward Conroy of Peterborough,Ontario logging and violin hobby. Morgans built DeerHurst Lodge Huntsville circ 1893 Penninsula Lake and several nearby Churches.

Renee Morgan
I'm looking for family from county monaghan.

David Morgan
Hello Renee I am David Morgan,my grandfather was Felix Morgan from Co.Monaghan.my grandmother was Elizabeth O'Hara. I live in Glasgow Scotland.

Nadia
Hello there. I am actually of mixed African descent. My family has everything from North African(Berber/Arab/Iberian mix) to Western African. We also have a lot of mtdna commonalities with people in the Americas, including Venezualians and Panamanians. I say this because I have traced my ancestry back to Wales, yet have been unable to find out any particular details about certain people. Besides, of course, originating on the African continent, a certain (Mary Morgan- Born about 1760 in Glamorgan, Wales.), Eleanor REES-Related to a Mary Rees Born: 3 May 1816, Llanwonno, Glamorgan, Wales Christening: 17 Jun 1816, null Marriage: 7 Jul 1834, null Burial: 4 Sep 1884, Bedwelty Churchyard, Bedwelty, Monmouthshire, Wales, and (Margaret Thomas Born: ABT 1782, Llanwonno, Glamorgan, Wales). Does anyone know where I might be able to find out some information about them? I would love to know. Thanks. -Nadia

Nadia
I've been able to track them from Wales to Salt Lake City, Utah, for the most part. A good majority of them became involved in the Morman faith. I am also thinking that they got to SLC by ship, given the time periods listed about. But I have been unable to find any specific references to Morgan as a passenger upon any ship headed to Utah or Salt Lake City.

Larry Conroy
Mogan Surname: Maskoka Country( Huntsville, Ontario Canada) Religious attendance " Anglican'' church building builders of both Wales - ( Malvern ) - and Huntsville Ontario . Hotels and homes on Lakes in the area. Larry Conroy ( Grandson of Morgans) " There 's No Fun.... like More Fun... and trust in Isaiah 53 too "

NIGEL MORGAN
MY FAMILY LINE IS ROUTED IN SOUTH WALES, IN THE ABERDARE, BRECON AND TREDEGAR AREAS. MY ANCESTORS, INCLUDE, A JOHN MORGAN, HILL FARMER OF BRECON, 1801, FURTHER BACK, TO A JOHN AP MORGAN, TREDEGAR, 1650. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING, THAT THE TERM "AP" MEANT" SON OF". MORE RECENTLY, MY FATHER, MERVYN'S FATHER, DAVID JOHN MORGAN, WAS, AT AROUND THE 1920-1930, A LEADER OF THE" GRAND ORDER OF THE BUFFALO" IN ABERDARE....ALSO, A COAL MINER. MY NAME IS NIGEL MORGAN, POET.

Walter F. Palmer
my 2nd grt. grandfather's name was Edward J. Morgan from Crown Point, NY and his wife was Julia S Taft. I am searching for his father and beyond. I would like any help that I may get. Thank you