Recorded in several spellings as shown below, this interesting name is today regarded as English, but is in reality of Norman-French origin. It derives a personal name Moran meaning steadfast, from the verb "demorer", meaning to remain. This may also have been used as a residential name for a stranger. One who having come to a town or village, for whatever reason, stayed on permanently. Nicknames of all kinds were a major force in the original creation of surnames, and there are some researchers who believe that essentially all surnames were nicknames of a sort. This name was probably introduced into England by followers of Duke William of Normandy in his successful invasion of England in 1066. Certainly it is one of the earliest surnames on record with early examples including Richard Morant of Devonshire in 1199, William Morand of Sussex in 1211, John le Moraunt in Suffolk in 1297 and Margery Demoraunt in the Poll Tax rolls of Yorkshire in 1379. Spellings of the name are known to include Moran, Morant, Morrant, Morand, Mourant, Murrant, and Maurand. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hugo le Demurant, which was dated 1182, in the pipe rolls of the county of Kent, during the reign of King Henry 11nd, 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as the Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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