MOREL Surname Meaning and Family History

History & Culture

Updated June 05, 2017

The Morel surname is a diminutive from the Old French more, meaning dark and swarthy (as a moor). A French variant of Moor and Moore.

Morel is the 21st most common surname in France.

Surname Origin: French

Alternate Surname Spellings: MORELL, MORILL, MORRELL, MORRILL

Famous People with the MOREL Surname

Guillaume Morel - French classical scholar
Olivier Morel de La Durantaye - Colonial officer in New France

George W. Morell - civil engineer; Union General in U.S. Civil War
Theodor Morell - Adolph Hitler's personal physician
Bénédict Morel - Austrian-French psychiatrist
Antoine Léon Morel-Fatio - French painter

Where is the MOREL Surname Most Common?

According to surname distribution from Forebears, the Morel surname is most common in France, where it ranks 22nd in the nation, followed by Monaco (68th), Dominican Republic (87th) and Paraguay (109th). The Morell spelling of the surname, on the other hand, is most prevalent in Spain, and also common in Puerto Rico (395th) and Cuba (413th).

WorldNames PublicProfiler indicates a similar distribution, with the greatest percentage of individuals named Morel in Austria, followed by Switzerland, Argentina and Belgium. Within France, Morel is found in the greatest numbers in the Franche-Comté region (now Bourgogne-Franche-Comté), followed by Rhône-Alpes (now Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), Haute-Normandie (now Normandy), Basse-Normandie (now Normandy) and Bretagne.

Genealogy Resources for the Surname MOREL

Meanings of Common French Surnames
Uncover the meaning of your French last name with this free guide to the four types of French surnames, and the meanings and origins of common French last names.

Morel Family Crest - It's Not What You Think
Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Morel family crest or coat of arms for the Morel surname.

Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.

MOREL Family Genealogy Forum
This free message board is focused on descendants of Morel ancestors around the world.

FamilySearch - MOREL Genealogy
Explore over 2 million results from digitized historical records and lineage-linked family trees related to the Morel surname on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

MOREL Surname Mailing List
Free mailing list for researchers of the Morel surname and its variations includes subscription details and a searchable archives of past messages.

DistantCousin.com - MOREL Genealogy & Family History
Explore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Morel.

GeneaNet - Morel Records
GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Morel surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.

The Morel Genealogy and Family Tree Page
Browse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Morel surname from the website of Genealogy Today.

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References: Surname Meanings & Origins

Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.

Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.

Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.

Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.

Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.

Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.

Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.