Morel
A surname from Old French meaning “dark” or “swarthy,” originally a nickname for someone with a darker complexion.
The #4,399 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 38,187 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The name is generally explained as an Old French diminutive of more, meaning “Moor” or, by extension, “dark-skinned” or “black.” The diminutive ending -el gives a sense of “little dark one” or “dark-complexioned person.” Some sources also connect the word with darker horses and dark-colored things more broadly, which may have reinforced surname use.
History
Medieval records show the name in England quite early, and it appears in several forms such as Morel, Morell, and Morrill. In later centuries it was also reinforced by French arrivals, especially Huguenot families bearing Morel or Morell. The surname remains common in French-speaking areas and in places influenced by French migration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In older French usage, morel could also refer to a dark horse, which helps explain why the same word turned up in both animal names and surnames.
From the historical record
“MOREHOUSE = Moorhouse, q.v. MOREL "I (A.-Fr.-Lat.-Gr.) Dark-Coloured MORELLJ[M.E. O.Fr. morel{l; O.Fr. More, Moor, black man + the dim. suff. -el (Lat. -ell-us) ', Lat. Maur-us, Gr. MaO/j-os, a Moor : cp. Fr. moreau, m., morelle, f., very black] Thomas Morel. — Hund. Rolls.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)