Surname Morrisy - Meaning and Origin
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Morrisy: What does the surname Morrisy mean?
The surname Morrisy, sometimes spelled as Morrissey, is of Irish origin and derived from the Gaelic name "Ó Muirgheasa" which means "descendant of Muirgheas". The name "Muirgheas" itself could be broken into two parts where "muir" means "sea" and "geas" means "action or activity", hence it could mean "sea-action" or "navigator". This suggests that the original bearers of this surname possibly had seafaring occupations or lived near the sea. This name was first found in county Sligo (Irish: Sligeach), in the province of Connacht in Northwestern Ireland, where they held a family seat from ancient times. It's important to note that the meaning of a surname can differ depending on geographical origins, historical times, and family occupations. An individual bearing the surname Morrisy would likely trace the family history back to Irish roots.
Order DNA origin analysisMorrisy: Where does the name Morrisy come from?
The last name Morrisy is most commonly found in North America and Europe today. In the United States, the last name Morrisy is especially popular in states such as California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas. This name is also widely documented in the United Kingdom, particularly in Lancashire, Denbighshire, London, and Cheshire.
The last name Morrisy can also be found in countries such as Ireland, Germany, Canada, and Australia. Furthermore, it is a common surname among African-American communities in the United States.
The roots of the Morrisy name dates back to England and the Norman Invasion of 1066, where it was initially spelled "Morrisseau". It is a patronymic surname, derived from the first name "Maurice" or "Morry".
The origin of the last name Morrisy is believed to have stemmed from a combination of two Welsh words. The first, "mawr", means "great" and the second, "ris", means "ardor". This combination literally translates to "great ardor".
The last name Morrisy is also known by a variety of spellings, including Morrissey, Morrissy, Morriss, Morrisseau, Morrice, Morisy, Morissey, Morrisson, Morrison and Morris.
The last name Morrisy is shared by many famous personalities, such as the musician, actor, and writer Morrissey, and the actress Christina Ricci.
Variations of the surname Morrisy
The modern English surname Morrisy, with its variants Morrissey, Morrisey and Morrissy, is believed to have developed during the Middle Ages, when the Old French personal names Moris, Maurice and Mauricius were used to create a patronymic surname from the given name of the father. It is derived from the Latin Mauricius, which means “dark-skinned” or “Moorish.”
In the U.K., Morrisy is most common in Ireland and Scotland, where it is of Anglo-Irish origins. It can also be seen in Wales and England. In Scotland, the name was significant in the county of Ayrshire, where it was introduced by Norman-French settlers after the time of the Norman conquest in 1066.
Variants of this surname include Morrisey, Morrissy, Morriss and Morrissey, while alternate spellings are Morrish, Morrisie and Morissey. It is also commonly combined with other surnames, especially MacMorrisey, McMorrisy, O’Morrisey and O’Morrisy.
Given the varied spellings and surnames, records which cite the names Morrisy, Morrissey, Morrisey and Morrissy have all likely derived from the same surname. This is especially true when the records are found in the same geographic area, since spelling variations of a given name could be more frequent in locations where it was more widely-used.
Famous people with the name Morrisy
- Ryan Morrissey: American actor and writer best known for his roles in the films, The Amateurs and Riding in Cars with Boys.
- Charles Morrissey: American professional actor and musician with roles in TV series like Law & Order, Blue Bloods, and Mercy.
- Edward Morrissey: American actor and singer-songwriter. He is most well-known for playing Officer Leo Banks on the television show, Blue Bloods.
- Ryan Morrissey-Smith: British actor who starred in the movie The Hours.
- Mark Morrissey: Irish producer and author best known for producing the local TV series This is Life.
- Edith Morrissey: American actress best known for her role in the television series, Law & Order: SVU.
- Leslie Morrissey: British actress who appeared in several films in the Mary Poppins series.
- LeAnn Morrissey: American screenwriter and producer who has worked on shows such as Quantum Leap and Murphy Brown.
- Laurence Morrissey: American playwright, actor, and director who wrote the play The Meantime.
- Shane Morrissey: American cinematographer who won an American Cinema Editors award for his work on the movie, 8 Mile.