Morley can follow more than one historical route: an English place-name surname that became established in Ireland, or an Irish form of Gaelic surnames recorded in County Mayo.
Where does the Morley name come from?
Morley is a topographic and locative surname of English origin, from places named with elements meaning “moor” and “wood” or “clearing” — a settlement by the moorland wood. In Ireland it has also served as an anglicised form of the Gaelic Ó Murghaile and Ó Murthuile, Connacht names, by similarity of sound.
Morley in Ireland
The English Morley settled in various parts of the country, while the Gaelic Ó Murghaile and Ó Murthuile strands belong to County Mayo and the west. As a name of both English and Gaelic origin, Morley is found today across Ireland and among the diaspora in the United States, Canada, Australia and Britain.
Related Irish family names
You may also like Molloy, Milligan, and Barry.
Frequently asked questions
Is Morley an Irish surname?
Morley is found in Ireland both as an English settler name and as an anglicisation of the Gaelic Ó Murghaile and Ó Murthuile of Mayo.
What does Morley mean?
As an English name it means a settlement by the moorland wood; the Gaelic strand is a separate name rendered by similar sound.
Is there a Morley family crest?
Some historical Morley individuals and branches were granted arms, but a coat of arms belongs to the person or line entitled to it rather than to everyone who shares the surname.
See the name on keepsakes for the home in our Morley family heritage collection.