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Origins of the Morley surname

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What does the name Morley mean?

The Morley surname is English. It is believed to be a geographic surname, relating to people who come from any one of the number of parishes with the same name, and their descendants. Some hypothesise it may also derive from 'Morlaix', a town in Brittany, and have arrived with Norman migrants after the conquest of 1066.

Alternative variations of the name Morley

Morley, Morleye, Morlie, Morlee, Moreley

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Where do most Morleys live?

In 1921, most Morleys lived in Yorkshire.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Morleys

How common is your surname?

303rd most common surname in the UK

We have 125,000 records for the Morley surname. The oldest one dates back to 1538.

Who were Morleys most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Browns

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Morleys.

What are the most common Morley first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Morley family members

Common jobs for Morleys

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Morleys in 1921
Dressmaker

525

Domestic Servant

305

General Servant Domestic

252

Laundress

252

Charwoman

208

Common Male occupations for Morleys in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

595

Farmer

417

Coal Miner

414

General Labourer

414

Bricklayer

362

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We found over 120,000 family trees with the Morley surname

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