The Origin of the Surname: Morales
History and Facts
The Lineage of the House of Morales, its origin, history and facts based on what is said by the treatist Baños de Velasco, it seems that the Morales lineage has its origin in the Goths. "A late discourse could be formed on the origin and development of the origin of the Morales," Baños says. The authors agree that it comes from the Goths, because this is how Lope de Vadillo, Antonio de Sotomayor, Juan Francisco de Hita and several others of great renown do... If this is so, the Morales may be satisfied with their surname as the old adage, which still endures, that being Goth means being of very old nobility. Now, it will probably be necessary to refer to the Visigoths who were in short, those who penetrated Spain, being that yes, one of the branches of the Goth people, just as they were the Ostrogoths.
We will try to investigate whether this surname, Morales, comes from a Visigothic name for which, forcibly, some of the history of that people will have to be investigated. Briefly, it will be noted that this was a Germanic people who faced the Roman Empire, penetrating Italy, reaching Rome, a city to which they looted. Ataulfo, their king, settled in the Gauls, but harassed by the Roman general Constantius, passed to the Tarraconense and, as an auxiliary of Rome, exterminated the vandals and the Alans.
In fulfillment of a pact, the Visigoths withdrew from the peninsula until 507, led by Gelaseico, they crossed the Pyrenees again. A time of turbulence with Goth-Frank wars ensued, until Theodorico secured dominion over all the Visigoths.
After various vicissitudes, among which it is to be recorded the murders of the Visigoth kings, Amalarico and Teudis, (the latter occurred in Barcelona) and civil brawls where various factions fought each other, Atanagildo was elected as King, at the expense of the murder of his rival Agila. He installed the capital of his kingdom in Toledo. One of his successors, Leovigildo, tried to unify the entire peninsula by establishing the hereditary kingdom. He fought against the Swains, another Germanic people, whose king, Miro, asked for peace. And this is where the question arises: do the Morales descend from the Visigoths or the Swabians, since the name of this king, Miro, seems to bear some relation to Morales? Following, though briefly, the Visigothic history, we find various names (Recaredo, Hermenegildo, Liuva, etc.) but the only reference that we find and that can join the surname Morales is numbered in some noble Visigothic, of the time of Viterico, to which is mentioned by the name Wimoral. Is this the one, to which his successors eventually removed the first two letters, leaving him with Moral, the predecessor of the Morals? It seems possible that it could be like this. Of course, with the name Morales, we have not found the slightest reference in the period of the Visigothic period, and it is already known, that in surnames, change, or transmutation of some letters, is something totally normal.
Baños de Velasco notes that the primitive House of the Morales was the one that located in the place of Cuyedo, of the Merindad de Trasmiera, judicial party of Santoña, (Santander). House which was also of the surname Moral. As we have been using the term "Merindad" relatively frequently, we understand that it is not too much, explaining what it consists of and means, that word: Castile, unlike the Asturleon kingdom, was not divided into counties, but in Merindades.
The Castilian State created, for the purposes of government, large districts called "Advances" or "Merindades Mayores" and which, in turn, were divided into "Merindades Minor" which included lordships, municipalities and holdings. At the end of the Middle Ages Merindades also appeared in Aragon and Navarre. Therefore, it is an administrative, judicial and government territorial division, predecessor of the former Castilian county.
Most of the treatist agree that the original house, is the one pointed out by Baños de Velasco, which settled in the place of Medio Cuyedo. From there, they went to the city of Soria, where they made a seat and was the trunk of one of the twelve primitive and main lineages of sons who populated the city.
Assuming that the surname Morales is part of the Visigothic era, it must be agreed that it soon spread throughout the Peninsula. In the year 1.477 already appeared Andrés Morales, a navigator and cartographer who lived for a long time in the Antilles. He studied the Atlantic coast and drew marine charters from the Brazilian and West Indies. In 1,513 Ambrosio de Morales, an ecclesiastical and historian, is located. He belonged to the generation of Spanish humanists who imposed a erudite and scientific vision in historical research. He was the one who finished the "General Chronicle of Spain", started by Florián del Campo.
In the year 1,500, lived, Cristóbal de Morales, in 1,525 was organist and chapel master of the cathedral of Avila. He traveled to Rome and entered the Pontifical Chapel as a singer. He stayed there for ten years. Subsequently he was master of the cathedrals of Toledo and Malaga. His fame was very great and his works numerous.
Also, at the same time (year 1,500) Luis Morales, a very popular Extremaduran painter, is located, who is supposed to be a disciple of Berruguete. His paintings are all of religious atmosphere and are found in various places, for example, in the Royal Palace of Madrid, can be seen the so-called "Virgen de la rueca". Some crossed our borders and are abroad. In the L'Ermitage Museum, Leningrad, you will find one of them. Others, in New York, at the Hispanis Society.
The surname soon passed to America: Character of this surname was Don Francisco Tomás Morales, Spanish soldier who in Venezuela joined the royalist troops of Monteverde, and later became the lieutenant of Boves, who succeeded in command of the Llaneros who were fighting the independent insurgents. He reached the rank of Captain General of Venezuela, but defeated by the insurgents, he had to capitulate, returning to Spain, where King Ferdinand VII appointed him Captain General of the Canary Islands.
Going back to a greater antiquity, don Juan Morales who was Sheriff of House and Court of the Catholic Monarchs in the year 1.489 are quoted. On the other hand, there were many knights of this surname who distinguished themselves in the conquests of Baeza and Seville. His nobility was repeatedly tested for entry into the various military orders of Alcántara, Montesa, Calatrava and Charles III.
Finally, it is recorded that in the year 1.692, Don Juan de Morales Arce y Reinoso was created Count of the Tower of Arce, in 1,792 Don Francisco Javier Morales de los Ríos, Count of Morales de los Ríos and in 1.856, Don Agustín Morales and Sotolongo , Marquis of the Royal Campiña.
Coat of Arms: Barracked shield: 1st and 4th; in silver field, three sabre bars 2nd and 3rd; in silver field, a moral of synople.
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