Morgan (surname)

MorganLanguage(s)| Welsh, Gaelic

|

Origin
Region of origin| Wales
Other names
Variant form(s)| Morganach, Ó Muireagáin, Morgant

Morgan is a surname of Welsh origin.

## Origins and variants

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Principally a Welsh name, Morgan is derived from the Old Welsh personal name Morcant, which is of an uncertain origin.[1] In Wales, Morgan was a powerful Welsh family established c. 1330 by Morgan ap Llewelyn (son of Llewelyn ap Ifor, Lord of St. Clere, and Angharad, daughter and heiress of Sir Morgan ap Maredudd, Lord of Tredegar). It is possible the name was derived from the Cornovii Tribe who lived in the North of Scotland and in the Severn Valley, near the Wrekin in Shropshire. The County of Glamorgan is named after the Morgan Princes of South Wales. The term for water sprites in Welsh is morgans.[2]

In Ireland, Morgan is an anglicised form of Irish Gaelic Ó Muireagáin meaning 'descendant of Muireagán', a clan who were lords of Teffia in County Westmeath and County Longford.[3]

Clan Morgan is the designation for the Mackays of the Reay Country and the surname is also found in Aberdeenshire. The Pictish form is Morgunn.[4]

### Distribution

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At the time of the British Census of 1881,[5] the frequency of the surname "Morgan" was highest in Brecknockshire (over 16 times the national average), followed by Monmouthshire, Glamorgan, Carmarthenshire, Radnorshire, Montgomeryshire, Cardiganshire, Pembrokeshire, Herefordshire, and Shropshire.

## List of people with the surname

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* Adam Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Alex Morgan (born 1989), American soccer player
* Alton Morgan (1932–2022), American politician and businessman
* Alun Morgan (1928–2018), British jazz critic and writer
* Andrew Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Anne Morgan, Baroness Hunsdon
* Aaron Morgan (born 1988), American footballer
* Aaron Morgan (rugby league)
* Arthur E. Morgan, Chairman of the TVA under Franklin Roosevelt, prolific writer
* Ashtone Morgan (born 1991), Canadian soccer player
* Barry Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Bob Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people named Bob or Bobby
* Bonnie Morgan, contortionist and actress
* Carroll Morgan (boxer), Canadian heavyweight boxer
* Carroll Morgan (computer scientist), American-Australian computer scientist
* Chad Morgan (1933–2025), Australian country music singer and guitarist
* Chad Morgan (actress) (born 1973), American actress
* Charles Waln Morgan, whaling executive
* Chris Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Cindy Morgan, real name Cynthia Cichorski, American actress
* Clement G. Morgan, attorney, civil rights activist, and public official
* Cliff Morgan, Welsh rugby union player
* C. Lloyd Morgan, British psychologist known by "Morgan's Canon"
* Colin Morgan, Northern Irish actor, star of television series Merlin
* Conor Morgan, Canadian basketball player
* Cory Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Dale Morgan, American historian of the American west
* Dan Morgan, American football player
* Daniel Morgan, brigadier general in the Continental Army in the American Revolution
* David Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Debelah Morgan, American singer
* Dell Morgan (1900–1962), American college sports coach
* Dennis Morgan, actor
* Denroy Morgan, Jamaican American reggae artist
* Dermot Morgan, Irish actor best known as Father Ted
* Derrick Morgan (born 1989), NFL player
* Diane Morgan, English actress, comedian and writer
* Don Morgan, Canadian politician
* Doug Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Ed Morgan (professor), Canadian professor
* Edgar Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Edward Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Elaine Morgan (writer), Welsh writer, advocate of the aquatic ape hypothesis
* Eli Morgan (born 1996), American baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Indians
* Elizabeth Chambers Morgan (1850–1944), American labor organizer
* Eoin Morgan, Irish cricketer
* Esme Morgan, English professional footballer
* Frank Morgan (1890–1949), American actor
* Frederick E. Morgan, British lieutenant-general in the Second World War
* Garrett A. Morgan (1877–1963), African American inventor
* Gavin Morgan (born 1976), Canadian ice hockey player
* George Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Gerry Morgan (born 1953), Canadian entrepreneur
* Gladys Morgan (1898–1983), Welsh comedian
* Godfrey Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar, Welsh philanthropist
* Gramps Morgan, real name Roy Morgan, Jamaican American reggae artist
* Harry Morgan (1915–2011), American actor best known for his role in the TV series M*A*S*H
* Hayden Morgan (1933–2017), American politician from Missouri
* Helen Morgan (1900–1941), American actress
* Helen Morgan (politician), British politician
* Henry Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Henry Morgan, Sir Henry Morgan AKA Captain Morgan, Welsh privateer and governor of Jamaica
* Huey Morgan, American musician, founder member and guitarist of the Fun Lovin' Criminals
* Ian Morgan, English professional footballer
* Isabel Morgan (marr. Mountain), American virologist at Johns Hopkins, daughter of Thomas Hunt Morgan
* Ivor Morgan, Welsh international rugby union player
* J. P. Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* J. R. Morgan, British academic and author
* Jack Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Jacques de Morgan, French geologist, archeologist and discoverer of the Hammurabi Code
* James Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Jason Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Jedediah Morgan (1774–1826), New York politician
* Jeffrey Dean Morgan (born 1966), American actor
* Jennifer Morgan (born 1971), American business leader, Co-CEO at SAP SE
* Jeremy Morgan (born 1995), American basketball player
* Jim Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Jimmy Morgan, English footballer and Royal Marines commando
* Joanna Morgan, British geoscientist
* Joe Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Joe Morgan (1943–2020), American Hall of Fame baseball player and sportscaster
* Joe "Pegleg" Morgan (1929–1993), American fugitive
* John Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* John Hunt Morgan, American Civil War cavalry general CSA
* Jordan Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Joseph Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Josh Morgan, NFL wide receiver
* Josiah Lewis Morgan (1893–1982), Welsh soldier
* Julia Morgan, American architect
* Julie Morgan, Labour MP for Cardiff North
* Junius Spencer Morgan, American banker and financier
* Justin Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Juwan Morgan (born 1997), American basketball player
* Karl Z. Morgan (1907–1999), American physicist
* Kate Morgan, American woman who died under mysterious circumstances, and is thought by locals to now haunt the Hotel del Coronado in Coronado, California
* Katie Morgan, American pornographic actress
* Kathryn Morgan (born 1988), American ballet dancer
* Keith Morgan (judoka), Canadian judoka
* Kenneth O. Morgan, Welsh historian
* Kevin Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Lael Morgan (1936–2022), American journalist and author
* Laurie Morgan (1930–2018), Guernsey's first Chief Minister
* Laurie Morgan (1926–2020), British jazz drummer and bandleader, co-founder of Club Eleven
* Lawrence Morgan (1915–1997), Australian dual Olympic gold medalist
* Lawrence T. Morgan, former Speaker of the Navajo Nation Tribal Council
* Laza Morgan, real name Otiyah Morgan, Jamaican American solo singer, also in hip hop band LMS
* Lee Morgan (1938–1972), American jazz trumpeter
* Lewis H. Morgan (1818–1881), American politician and anthropologist
* Lewis L. Morgan (1876–1950), Louisiana politician
* Lionel Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Liv Morgan (born 1994), ring name of American professional wrestler Gionna Daddio
* Lorin Morgan-Richards, author/publisher of Welsh descent
* Lorrie Morgan, country music singer
* Marabel Morgan (born 1937), American author
* Mary Kimball Morgan (1861–1948), American educator and college president
* Matt Morgan (born 1976), American professional wrestler
* Matthew Somerville Morgan (1837–1890), British cartoonist
* Maverick Morgan (born 1994), American football player
* Meli'sa Morgan (born 1964), American singer-songwriter
* Michael Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Michèle Morgan (1920–2016), French film and television actress
* Michelle Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people named Michele and Michelle
* Middy Morgan (1828–1892), Irish-born American journalist
* Mohammed Said Hersi Morgan (1949–2025), Somali warlord
* Morgan Morgan (1688–1766), First settler in present-day West Virginia
* Morris Hicky Morgan (1859–1910), professor of classical philology and translator of Vitruvius
* Nathan Morgan (born 1978), English long jumper
* Nicky Morgan, former MP for Loughborough (6 May 2010 – 6 November 2019)
* Olly Morgan, England and Gloucester Rugby Union player
* Paul Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Peter Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Piers Morgan (born 1965), British broadcaster and former tabloid newspaper editor
* Raphael Morgan, Jamaican-American priest of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and thought to be the first Black Orthodox clergyman in America
* Read Morgan (1931–2022), American film and television actor
* Rhodri Morgan, former First Minister of Wales
* Richard Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Richie Morgan, Welsh footballer and manager
* Robert Burren Morgan, American politician
* Robert W. Morgan, American adventurer, first man to descend the Gauley and Meadow rivers in West Virginia, founded Morgan's Canoe Livery
* Roger Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Ryan Morgan, Australian Rugby league player
* Sally Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Shaun Morgan, lead singer of the band Seether
* Sheryl Morgan, sprinter
* Simon Morgan, English football (soccer) player
* Sophia Morgan, Fijian sailor
* Sophie Morgan (born 1985), British television presenter
* Sophie Morgan (author) (born 1979), British author
* Sophie Morgan (singer-songwriter) (born 1997), English singer-songwriter
* Stanley Morgan (author), English actor & author
* Stanley Morgan, wide receiver in American gridiron football
* Stanley Morgan Jr. (born 1996), American football player
* Steve Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Sylvanus Morgan (1620 – March 27, 1693), English arms-painter and author
* Tanner Morgan (born 1999), American football player
* Tara Morgan, Australian rules footballer
* Ted Morgan (boxer), New Zealand boxer
* Ted Morgan (writer) (1932–2023), French-American biographer, journalist, and historian
* Teddy Morgan, Welsh international rugby union player
* Terence Morgan (1921–2005), English actor
* Thomas Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Tom Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Tracy Morgan, American actor and comedian
* Trevor Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Wallace Morgan, World War I artist in the United States Army Art Program
* Wendy Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people
* Wes Morgan, Jamaican footballer
* Widow Morgan, a founding settler of Norwalk, Connecticut
* William Morgan (disambiguation), multiple people

## Fictional characters

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* Arthur Morgan, protagonist of the video game Red Dead Redemption 2
* Derek Morgan in the American crime drama Criminal Minds
* Dexter Morgan, serial killer from the eponymous TV franchise and the novel in which it was based.
* Eugene Morgan from The Magnificent Ambersons
* Francis York Morgan and Francis Zach Morgan, protagonist of the 2010 video game Deadly Premonition.
* Hank Morgan from A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
* Henry Morgan, lead character of Forever TV series
* Jason Morgan (General Hospital), Mob Enforcer on the ABC Daytime Soap Opera General Hospital
* Jenna Morgan from Arthur*Kate Morgan, lead character in 24: Live Another Day
* Kendall Morgan, a character in the Power Rangers Dino Charge.
* Kendrix Morgan in Power Rangers Lost Galaxy
* Lilah Morgan, evil lawyer in the TV series Angel
* Nathan Drake (Né Morgan), protagonist of the video game Uncharted
* Nwabudike Morgan, CEO (and, by extension, leader) of the faction Morgan Industries in Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.
* Organ Morgan in Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood
* Samara Morgan, evil killer in The Ring
* Trevor Morgan in the British soap opera EastEnders
* Vannevar Morgan from The Fountains of Paradise

## See also

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* De Morgan
* Justice Morgan (disambiguation)
* Morgans (surname)

## References

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1. ^ "Surname Database: Morgan Last Name Origin". The Internet Surname Database. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
2. ^ Tongue, Ruth L. (1970). Forgotten Folk-Tales of the English Counties. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, p. 27.
3. ^ Woulfe, Patrick (1923). "Ó Muireagáin - Irish Names and Surnames". www.libraryireland.com. Retrieved 2023-05-31.
4. ^ Black, George F. (1946). The Surnames of Scotland (1993 ed.). Edinburgh: New York Public Library/Birlinn. p. 61\. ISBN 1-874744-07-6. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
5. ^ "Morgan Surname Meaning and Distribution". forebears.co.uk. Retrieved 23 January 2014

Surname list

This page lists people with the surname Morgan.
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