(male) One of the many French names of Germanic origin that were introduced into Britain by the Normans; it has since remained in continuous use. It is derived from the nearly synonymous elements hrōd ‘fame’ + berht ‘bright, famous’, and had a native Old English predecessor of similar form (Hreodbeorht), which was supplanted by the Norman name. Two dukes of Normandy in the 11th century bore the name: the father of William the Conqueror (sometimes identified with the legendary Robert the Devil), and his eldest son. It was borne also by three kings of Scotland, notably Robert the Bruce (1274–1329), who freed Scotland from English domination. The altered short form Bob is very common, but Hob and Dob, which were common in the Middle Ages and gave rise to surnames, are extinct. See also Rupert.
Short forms: Bob, Rob.
Pet forms: Bobby, Robbie, Robin.
Cognates: Irish: Roibéard. Scottish Gaelic: Raibeart. German: Robert, Rupprecht. Dutch: Robrecht, Rob(b)ert. Scandinavian: Robert. French: Robert. Spanish, Portuguese, Italian: Roberto. Czech: Robert. Finnish: Roopertti. Hungarian: Róbert. Latvian: Roberts.
Welsh: from the Old Welsh personal name Morcant, which is of uncertain but ancient etymology.
Irish: importation of the Welsh surname, to which has been assimilated more than one Gaelic surname, notably Ó Muireagáin (see Merrigan).
Scottish: of uncertain origin; probably from a Gaelic personal name cognate with Welsh Morcant.
FOREBEARS Morgan is one of the oldest and commonest of Welsh surnames, but there is also a Scottish family called Morgan, established from medieval times in Aberdeenshire, with connections with the McKays. The Scottish name is probably not the result of Welsh migration, but was established independently. Abel Morgan (1673–1722), a baptist clergyman, was born in Cardiganshire, South Wales, and emigrated to Philadelphia in 1712, establishing churches in PA, DE, and NJ.
