Moralez
A Spanish surname most likely linked to the place-name Morales, meaning “mulberry trees” or “mulberry grove.”
The #6,613 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 60,302 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Moralez is a Spanish surname that likely developed as a locational name from Morales, a common place-name in Spain. Morales comes from Latin mora, meaning “mulberry,” with the plural or collective sense referring to mulberry trees or a mulberry grove. The final -z in Moralez may reflect a spelling variation influenced by other Spanish surnames ending in -ez, though the name itself is usually treated as a variant of Morales rather than a separate old patronymic form.
History
As with many Spanish surnames, it would originally have identified someone who came from a town or district called Morales. Over time the name spread through Spain and then into Latin America, and later into the United States through Hispanic migration. In modern records, Moralez is often found alongside the more common Morales and may represent a regional or family spelling variation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Morales is much more common than Moralez, but both are found in Spanish-language records and U.S. census data.