Morse surname meaning

Morse is chiefly a Welsh and English variant of Morris, itself from the Norman French personal name Maurice (Latin Mauritius, related to Maurus). Morris and Morse families share that medieval given-name origin; Morss is a documented spelling. In North America, Morse can also be an Americanized form of various like-sounding Jewish surnames, especially Moses. Parent’s name fits the dominant Morris/Maurice route that explains most English and New England lines, while the Jewish reshaping is noted as a secondary stream rather than a reason to lower confidence on the catalog lead.