Surname Morah - Meaning and Origin
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Morah: What does the surname Morah mean?
The last name Morah is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Muireadhaigh – meaning “grandson of Muireadhach”. Muireadhach is a first name derived from the ancient Irish language, which translates to mean “sea-ruler” or “sea-lord”. The surname is most commonly found in Ireland’s North and West regions, specifically in bordering counties Donegal and Mayo. It also appears in eastern regions of Scotland, where waves of Irish emigration carried the name into new communities.
The Morah surname may also arise from the popular first name Marcus, derived from the Latin “Mars” and seen frequently throughout Irish regions. This translation of Marcus is Muircheartach; acting as an anglicized form of the name, it may create slight phonetic variance to the surname Morah, through colloquial interpolations.
Morah is most commonly found among the Catholic population of Ireland, descended from several septs of the same name. These septs date back to the Middle Ages, when the Gaelic ruling class bestowed surnames to subordinate inhabitants. Like most Irish surnames, the need to identify people through additional names was especially necessary due to the fact that many did not receive hereditary surnames until much later, when the British formally entered the country.
Though the surname is most strongly rooted in Ireland and Scotland, the international reach of Irish emigration carried the Morah surname to all corners of the world. As a result, persons with the last name Morah may be found in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and many other countries.
Order DNA origin analysisMorah: Where does the name Morah come from?
The last name Morah is a prominent and ancient surname found in many countries around the world. It is believed to have originated in Scotland, where it was used to denote a person who lived on the open moorland. Today, the last name Morah is most commonly found in the United States and Ireland, and is also present in Canada, the UK, and various parts of Europe.
In the United States, the most populous states with the Morah surname include New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California. In addition to the United States, the name is also common in such countries as England, Scotland, Ireland, France, and Spain.
In Ireland, the Morah name is particularly prominent in the counties of Mayo and Galway, where it is believed to originate from Maigh Rath (which translates to "flat plane") in the Gaelic language.
Some of the earliest recorded examples of the Morah surname date back to the late 16th century when a "John Morah" is mentioned in a register of Scottish tax payers. The name, however, can be found in the ancient records even earlier, indicating that the Morah family had already been established in Scotland for some time by the 16th century.
In addition to its strong presence in the British Isles, the Morah name is also found around the world in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South America, and various other regions. In modern times, the Morah name remains quite popular in its native Scottish homeland and can be seen as an important link to Scotland’s past.
Variations of the surname Morah
The surname MORAH is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from the Old French and Anglo-Norman family name de Moreh, which is thought to be a personal name derived from a location, possibly Moreh or Moire in Normandy.
Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname MORAH include Morah, Morall, Morrell, Morillo, Morale, Moralis, Morell, and Moralys.
MORAH is also an alternate spelling for MOORE. Moore is derived from two distinct sources. The first source is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Moore". Moore is derived from the Irish name "O'Mordha", which is derived from the personal name Mordha, meaning "noble or stately".
The second source of Moore is the location in England and Scotland of the Moors or Marshes. The name was given to people who lived near or on a moor or marsh.
MORAH is sometimes an alternate spelling for MORA, MORAHAN or MURPHY. Mora or Morahan is a variant of the Irish surname O'Murchadha. This surname is thought to be derived from the Gaelic Irish "Murthuile", meaning "sea warrior".
Murphy is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Irish name O'Murchadha, which is derived from the Irish first name "Murchadh", meaning "sea warrior".
MORAH is also a variant of the Spanish surname MORALES. This surname is derived from the Latin word "moralis", meaning "manner, character, or morals". It was originally the name of a Spanish family of nobility.
Famous people with the name Morah
- Audu Morah: Nigerian singer and songwriter
- Alex Morah: Kenyan actor
- Ms Morah: Nigerian author and poet
- David Morah: Congolese athlete
- Bakare Morah: Nigerian visual artist
- Osagie Morah: Nigerian politician
- Paul Morah: Ghanaian dancer
- Zainab Morah: Nigerian lawyer
- Michael Morah: English film director
- David Morah: Irish actor and poet