Morley Name Origin, Meaning and Family History

Morley Name Meaning: Taken form the Anglo-Saxon word 'morleah', meaning 'marsh+woodland clearing'.

A locative name given to someone who lived or worked in a march or marshy woodland clearing.

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Surname Distribution

Census frequency by county

Name Concentrations Within England and Wales

Morley Surname Statistics


Top Professions for the Morley family

Profession Census Frequency
Scholar 1,591
Agricultural Labourer 323
Labourer 182
Domestic Servant 99
General Servant 94
Dress Maker 88
Coal Miner 77
House Keeper 62
Servant 58
Frame Work Knitter 50
Laundress 48
Cotton Weaver 48
Carpenter 44
Farm Servant 42
Farm Labourer 39
Annuitant 39
Errand Boy 38
Tailor 37
Gardener 36
Joiner 33
Blacksmith 29
Cook 29
Bricklayer 27
Seamstress 26
Butcher 26

Morley Surname Variants Ranking

Rank Surname Match Census Frequency
1 Morley 100% 87,946
2 Marley 83% 13,995
3 Murley 83% 4,213
4 Moreley 86% 2,193
5 Moorley 86% 1,704
6 Merley 83% 1,172
7 Morly 83% 978
8 Morlay 83% 490
9 Morely 67% 440
10 Moorly 67% 226
11 Marly 67% 214
12 Murly 67% 192
13 Emerly 50% 189
14 Mirley 83% 149

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The surname Morley is the most popular version of all its varients

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