Surname MacMorrice - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
MacMorrice: What does the surname MacMorrice mean?
The surname MacMorrice is an old Gaelic form of the name Morris and originated in the north east of Scotland. It is derived from the Gaelic elements, "mac" meaning 'son', and "Mhor-righ" meaning 'great king' or 'chief.'
The family likely descended from the original Moress King of Scotland, who lived in the 11th century. The first reference to the family was in Aberdeenshire, where the MacMorrices were in possession of the lands of Easter Banchory. The family was also associated with Strathpeffer in Ross-shire, although later generations spread throughout Scotland.
The MacMorrice name is thought to have been recorded for the first time in 1214, when a Basilia de Morres was recorded in the court records of Aberdeen. MacMorrice also appears on the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document of pledges of fealty envisioned by King Edward I of England.
Today, MacMorrice is still found in Scotland and in other regions of the British Isles and in countries to which the family has migrated, such as the United States and Canada. It is also sometimes seen as an Anglicised version of the Scottish Gaelic surname Morrison. There are also other variants of the name such as Morrice, MacMorriss and McMoriss.
Order DNA origin analysisMacMorrice: Where does the name MacMorrice come from?
The MacMorrice surname is most common in Scotland today. According to a General Register of Scotland survey, of the 1.5 million people born with surnames ending in Mac or Mc, 0.14% (2100 people) were named MacMorrice. The name is particularly prevalent in the areas of Aberdeenshire, Angus, and the Borders region.
The name is believed to have originated in the Monmouthshire region in Wales. It is thought to have been introduced to Scotland in the 16th or 17th centuries by families of Irish descent. The name is associated with the MacMurchaidh family, whose members were once administrators in their home county of Donegal.
It is also believed that the name MacMorrice is of Norse origin, adopted by families of Scandinavian descent in the Shetland Islands.
MacMorrice is also found in the US, where it is more common among families of Irish descent, and in Canada. In New Zealand, Maori people adopted the name from Scottish settlers in the 19th century.
In a modern context, the MacMorrice surname is most commonly associated with Scotland and may invoke a sense of patriotism and local identity.
Variations of the surname MacMorrice
The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname MacMorrice are MacMorris, MacMorriss, MacMors, MacMorrisse, MacMorrish, and MacMorrice. All of these surnames are variants or spellings of the Irish surname MacMorrice. The original MacMorrice surname was found in Ulster, Ireland and derived from the Gaelic name Mac Muiris. The MacMorrice surname can be derived from the Gaelic words ‘Mac’, meaning ‘son of’ and ‘Muiris’, which is a personal name derived from the phrase ‘mor ris’ meaning ‘big head’. The Anglicized form of the MacMorrice surnames is usually ‘Morrison’, which is also a very common surname in Ireland.
The MacMorrice surname is a branch of the larger Corca Laoidhe sept of families, which held their lands in County Cork until the seventeenth century. During this time, many of the sept moved to Ulster, where the MacMorrice surname evolved. MacMorrice is an uncommon surname which is not particularly well-known outside of Ireland, however, there are some notable people who bear the MacMorrice surname. These include the American actor Brian MacMorrice, the British mountaineer Bill MacMorrice, and the Irish archaeologist Liam MacMorrice.
Another variant of the MacMorrice surname is MacMurphy, although there is debate as to whether this is actually a distinct surname or simply another spelling of MacMorrice. Nevertheless, both surnames are found in various parts of Ireland, including Cork, Galway and Donegal.
Famous people with the name MacMorrice
- Pat MacMorrice: Canadian politician from Kelowna, British Columbia
- Lawrence MacMorrice: actor most famous for playing a role in the classic comedy 'The Nutty Professor'
- Mary MacMorrice: American athlete, who won a gold medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics
- August MacMorrice: American actress, best known for her work on 'NCIS'
- Neil MacMorrice: Scottish rock singer and songwriter, most famous for being a member of the band Oasis
- Tom MacMorrice: Irish professional footballer, who played for Shelbourne, Shamrock Rovers and the Republic of Ireland national team
- Christina MacMorrice: Olympic figure skater, who won a bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City
- Sandra MacMorrice: British author and journalist, whose works include novels, poetry and plays
- Jack MacMorrice: Australian musician who has released multiple albums, including 'Scarlet Witch' and 'The Wolf'
- Sean MacMorrice: American actor best known for his role in the television drama 'ER'