Surname Morlan - Meaning and Origin

Morlan: What does the surname Morlan mean?

The last name Morlan is of Scottish origin. It is believed to be derived from the personal name Muriel, a common medieval name, which is made up of the Gaelic muir meaning "sea" and gal, meaning "valor". In the Middle Ages, many people named their children after saints or people of high social status in the hopes that they would be blessed with those same traits.

The name Morlan is usually associated with maritime and seafaring activities, as people often named their children to reflect the work that they were familiar with or wished to undertake. It is believed that Morlan was initially used amongst seafaring families living in areas along the coasts of Scotland and Ireland.

Morlan is also found throughout the United States, most notably in the state of Washington. It is believed that some of the earliest settlers with the name Morlan immigrated to the United States from Scotland or Ireland in the mid- 1700s.

In more recent times, the name Morlan has come to symbolize strength and courage – traits that the original bearers of the name surely possessed. Those bearing the name Morlan today continue to carry the connotation and symbolism of those traits, be they on the seas, or on land.

Morlan: Where does the name Morlan come from?

The last name Morlan is most commonly found in the United States today, especially in the Midwest area. It can be found in states like Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, and Indiana. It is also found in other surrounding states, such as Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Michigan. The Morlan surname is also found in small concentrations in Wyoming, South Dakota, and Colorado.

The Morlan surname likely originated in central and western Europe, and it may have been derived from the German word "mor" meaning "moor" or "marsh" and the Old English "lann" meaning "land".

The name is most likely of a topographical origin and would have described somebody who lived near a marshy area, or perhaps, somebody who lived near a place named "Moorlann" which means a moor or a marshy area.

Despite the widespread geographical distribution of the Morlan surname today, most people who carry this last name are likely from the same family tree. One such family, the Morlans of Scottish Highland Clan Gunn, emigrated to the Americas in the 1700s. This family settled in the United States and Canada, and their descendants can still be found in the United States and Canada today.

Variations of the surname Morlan

The surname Morlan is of French origin and is an ancient family name believed to have first been established in the Languedoc region of France. Many variations of the surname have developed over the years, including Morlant, Morland, Morlanne, as well as the French variants Morla, Morlanet, Morlaix, Morlas and Morlais.

Variants of the Morlan surname can also be found in both England and Scotland, where the name is thought to have first arrived together with the Norman Conquest of 1066. In England, spellings of the name vary from Morland and Morlanne to Morlande, Morleyne, Morlany, Morlonde and more. The Scottish variant of the Morlan surname is Morland, pronounced with a soft “G”.

All of these variants, spellings and surnames are related in origin to the Morlan name and have derived from the same French source. Combinations of letters within the words or based upon cognates they sound like have also resulted in morphing of the surname. Spellings such as Merlin, Merland, Merlino, Merlini, Merliny and even Murlana have evolved as well.

In conclusion, the Morlan surname is an ancient French family name with a number of variants, spellings and related surnames derived from the original spelling. Many of these after being adapted to different languages and cultures have taken on different pronunciations and spellings over time.

Famous people with the name Morlan

• Kim Morlan, a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles.
• Brent Morlan, a professional football player currently playing for the Minnesota Vikings.
• Mandy Morlan, a journalist and TV news anchor.
• Alan Morlan, a NCAA Division I basketball coach for the Michigan State Spartans.
• Rocco Morlan, a pro surfer sponsored by major brands including Billabong and Red Bull.
• Scott Morlan, a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals.
• Mark Morlan, an actor best known for the musical stage production of Rent.
• Rachel Morlan, a noted competitive skater and winner of two U.S. Figure Skating Championships.
• John Morlan, an English director and screenwriter who directed the historic drama series The Last Kingdom.
• Derek Morlan, an Australian professional cricket player.
• Blu Morlan, a professional boxer and renowned martial arts expert.
• Karen Morlan, a U.S. senator from Arizona and former U.S. Congressman from Arizona's 8th Congressional District.
• Candice Morlan, a prominent opera singer and winner of three Grammy Awards.
• William Morlan, a physicist and former Nobel Prize winner.
• Paul Morlan, an American artist and sculptor renowned for his life-sized bronze statues.
• Scott Morlan, award-winning American film director and winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize.

Other surnames

MorlandMorlatMorlattMorlatte