Morley Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Morley Family History

Morley Family History

The family history of the ancient name Morley was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. The name Morley can be of both Gaelic and Anglo origin. When of Anglo origin it is a name of locational origin describing a person who lived in Morley in Durham, Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Norfolk. It is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in England. Examples of such are a Johannes de Morelay, an Adam de Morlay, and a Margeria de Morlay, who were all recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire, England, in the year 1379. When of Gaelic origin the name is derived from the Gaelic O'Murghaile sept that was located in County Mayo.

A sept or clan is a collective term describing a group of persons whose immediate ancestors bore a common surname and inhabited the same territory. It is also the case that many Irish septs or clans that are related often belong to a larger groups, sometimes called tribes. For example the 'Tribes of Galway' consisted of fourteen distinct families. The 'Tribes of Kilkenny' were ten families, etc.

This sept name translates from the Gaelic language as 'sea valour'. It was also anglicized as Morally, Moraly and O'Morley.The Morley family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Morley descendants.