Explore the Family Name Morgan
The meaning of Morgan
1. Welsh (especially Glamorgan): from the medieval Welsh personal name Morgan, Morgant (Old Welsh Morcant, of uncertain etymology). 2. Irish: importation of the Welsh surname (see 1 above), to which has been assimilated more than one Gaelic surname, notably Ó Muireagáin (see Merrigan). 3. Scottish: probably from a Gaelic personal name cognate with Welsh Morcant. 4. Altered form of Maugans, a surname of German origin. History: Morgan is one of the oldest and commonest of Welsh surnames, but there is also a Scottish family called Morgan, established from medieval times in Aberdeenshire, with connections with the McKays. The Scottish name is probably not the result of Welsh migration, but was established independently. — Abel Morgan (1673–1722), a baptist clergyman, was born in Cardiganshire, South Wales, and emigrated to Philadelphia, PA, in 1712, establishing churches in PA, DE, and NJ. — Some of the American Morgans are descended from the brothers Gabriel and Daniel Morgan, born to Conrad Maugans in MD (see Maugans) c.1779 and 1781, respectively. They died in OH.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Morgan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Morgan" saw a slight dip between 2000 and 2010. It fell from the 62nd most popular name in 2000 to the 69th in 2010, representing an 11.29% drop in rank. Despite this drop in popularity ranking, the actual number of people with the Morgan surname increased by 3.57%, from 276,400 in 2000 to 286,280 in 2010. The proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 also decreased from 102.46 in 2000 to 97.05 in 2010, showing a decline of 5.28%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #62 | #69 | -11.29% |
| Count | 276,400 | 286,280 | 3.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 102.46 | 97.05 | -5.28% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Morgan
In terms of ethnicity, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, there were shifts in the ethnic identities associated with the surname "Morgan". Between 2000 and 2010, there was an increase in the percentages of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander (an increase of 28.57%), Two or more races (an increase of 28.05%), Hispanic (an increase of 49.46%), Black (an increase of 4.86%), and American Indian and Alaskan Native (an increase of 7.83%). However, there was a slight decrease in the percentage of White individuals bearing the surname, from 78.47% in 2000 to 76.07% in 2010, marking a change of -3.06%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78.47% | 76.07% | -3.06% |
| Black | 16.47% | 17.27% | 4.86% |
| Hispanic | 1.86% | 2.78% | 49.46% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 2.1% | 28.05% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.15% | 1.24% | 7.83% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.54% | 28.57% |
Morgan 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 Morgan is British & Irish, which comprises 55.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (21.5%) and Eastern European (3.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Nigerian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 55.4% |
| French & German | 21.5% |
| Eastern European | 3.6% |
| Other | 19.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Morgan
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 Morgan have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.80% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.30% |
What Morgan 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 Morgan is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Jones, Lewis, Phillips, Evans, Thomas, Lloyd, Price, James, Davis, Morris.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Morgan surname are: H1, T2b, 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 Morgan 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.
"Morgan" Surname 42.5%
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.
"Morgan" Surname 27.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Morgan" Surname 24.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Morgan" Surname 18.6%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Morgan?
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 Morgan are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition