Explore the Family Name Morais
The meaning of Morais
1. Portuguese: variant of Moraes. 2. French: probably a derivative of More 2 ‘Moor’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Fernando, Carlos, Francisco, Amaro, Armando, Domingos, Elia, Geraldo, Mario, Norberto. Portuguese Joao, Albano, Joaquim, Vasco, Paulo, Aderito, Ilidio, Ligia, Marcio. French Adrien, Aime, Chanel, Donat, Elodie, Fernande, Jean-Louis, Marcel, Sylvie, Valmond.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Morais in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Morais has shown a significant rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Morais was ranked 13,194th most common surname and by 2010, it had jumped up to the 9,611th position, marking an increase of 27.16%. Furthermore, the count for this surname also grew from 2,123 people to 3,381 during the same period, representing a substantial growth rate of 59.26%. The proportion per 100,000 residents increased by 45.57%, moving from 0.79 to 1.15.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,194 | #9,611 | 27.16% |
| Count | 2,123 | 3,381 | 59.26% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.79 | 1.15 | 45.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Morais
When considering the ethnic identity associated with the surname Morais, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some notable shifts between 2000 and 2010. The predominating ethnicity identified with this surname is White, which increased from 71.69% to 77.02%. Meanwhile, the Black community with this surname also saw an increase from 10.74% to 12.78%. Interestingly, the Hispanic representation experienced a minor growth of 4.41%, rising from 5.89% to 6.15%. However, the percentage of individuals of Asian/Pacific Islander descent rose significantly at 38.18%, although their overall numbers are smaller. On the other hand, there was a considerable decrease (-84.29%) in individuals who identify as belonging to two or more races, dropping from 9.61% to 1.51%. Similarly, the American Indian and Alaskan Native group also decreased from 0.42% to 0.27%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 71.69% | 77.02% | 7.43% |
| Black | 10.74% | 12.78% | 18.99% |
| Hispanic | 5.89% | 6.15% | 4.41% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.65% | 2.28% | 38.18% |
| Two or More Races | 9.61% | 1.51% | -84.29% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.42% | 0.27% | -35.71% |
Morais ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Morais is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 62.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (12.0%) and French & German (5.2%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Indigenous American, Eastern European, Nigerian, and Angolan & Congolese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 62.1% |
| British & Irish | 12.0% |
| French & German | 5.2% |
| Other | 20.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Morais
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Morais have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and Brazil.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 71.00% |
| Azores, Portugal | 71.00% |
| Madeira, Portugal | 69.90% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 69.90% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 65.60% |
What Morais haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Morais is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M5021 and R-Z225, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Camara, Castano, De Oliveira, Arguello, Azevedo, De Souza, Cunha, Figueiredo, Moniz, Nogueira.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Morais surname are: H1, U2_3_4_7_8_9, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Morais have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Morais" Surname 27.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Morais" Surname 38.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Vitamin Use
Takes vitamins on a regular basis.
"Morais" Surname 50.0%
23andMe Users 45.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Morais" Surname 19.7%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Morais?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Morais are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition