Source: Ancestry.com
Recorded in many forms including Calven, Calvin, Galvin, Gulvin and Kalvin, this very interesting sur-
name can be of either Irish, English, or Norman-
French origins. Taking the Irish first, the name in
the Gaelic is given as O'Gealbhain, composed of
the elements 'geal' meaning bright, and (possibly)
'ban' meaning white. However there is a strong
possibility that the name could have been a Nor-
man introduction at the time of the Invasion of Ire-
land in 1170, and in later centuries given a Gaelie
form.
What is certain is that the surname has been re-
corded in France in the spelling of Galvaing, Galvin, Galvier, and Galvagnon, from the earliest times. If French then this was a nickname for a person with
a receding hair line, or possibly a priest. Early re- cording taken from authentic surviving church registers show many develop-ments but do not ultimately prove the orgin either way.
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More on the Galvin...surname as our research continues..... Please be patient. thank you.
MORRIS
Last Name Origin....
Source:www.wikipedia.org
M orris is a surname of various origins though mostly of English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh origin. The name in some cases can be of German origin and even an Americanisation of several Jewish
surnames. The surname ranked- 53 out of 88,799 in the United States and 32-out of 500 .... in England and Wales.
Britain:
In England and Scotland, the name can be derived from the Old French personal name (Maurice)
which which was introduced to Britain by the Normans.
It can also be derived from the Latin ( Mauritius ),
a derivative of Maurus. This name was used by serveral early Christian saints. The first Morrises
in the British Isles were recorded as living in the bordering counties of Monmouthshire, Wales and Herefordshire, England by the Noman Conquest of 1066 AD. In Wales, Morris is an Anglicisation of
the Welsh personal name..( Meurig ) ..( ultimately derived from the Latin Mauritius ). Additionally the name Morris is of Anglo-Norman orgin deriving
from the 'De Marisco' line.
Native American Heritage
It is a known fact that our Families Genealogical Bloodlines or Heritage consist of Native Ameri-
can Genes, namely of the Cherokee Tribe which
is accredited to Mrs. Branch's ancestors along
with European bloodlines. Furthermore; our
heritage can be traced to the Blackfoot Indian
Tribe, with an admixture of African American,
and is accredited to Mr. Morris Branch's ances-
tors.
Now; It is a common known fact that many Afri-
can American families pass down oral histories
of Native American heritage, and our's is no ex-
ception to this rule. Most oten, we think of either Western tribes who still reside in or near their indigenous homes, or the Cherokee who were displaced in the 1830s, forced to march from Appalachia to Oklahoma in the dead of-winter,
an event subsequently known as the Trail of
Tears.
In truth, the history of Native American hertiage
in North American is much more complex. It is
probably that many of the people who carry oral
history of "Cherokee heritage" are actually des-
cended from a tribe other than the Cherokee
initially.
The Cherokee were well known for accepting remnants of other tribes whose members and numbers had been decimated by disease or
war. Sometimes these alliances were created
for mutual protection.
The Cherkees were not the only tribe in the Eas-
tern United States. The Eastern seaboard was
widely populated by varying tribes, some related
and affiliated, and some not. There were in fact
three major language groupings, Algonquin,
Souian, and Iroquoian scattered throughout the Eastern sea- board northward into Canada, west-
ward to Appa- lachia and south to the Gulf
of Mexico.
People from African were also imported very early, often, but not always, as slaves. Jamestown re-
cords shows evidence of individuals of African heritage. Those who were later brought specifi-
cally as slaves sometimes ran away, escaping
into the Native population. Conversely, Indians
were often taken or sold by defeating tribes into
slavery as well.
In the early years of settlement, European women
were scarce. Some men immigrated with wives
and families, but most did not, and few women
came alone. Therefore, with nature taking its
course, it is not unreasonable to surmise that
many of the early settlers traded with, worked alongside and married into indigenous families, especially immigrants who were not wealthy.
Wealthy individuals traveled back and forth ac-
ross the Atlantic and could bring a bride on a sub
sequent journey.
Further complicating matters, there were numer-
ous "lost" individuals of varying ethnicity in the
very early years of coloization. Specifically the Mexicans, Spa-nards and the English. These
groups are in addition to well-known Lost Co-
lony of Roanoke, and the less-well known ear-
lier military expedition on which sevral indivi-
duals were "lost" or left behind.
What does this mean to the family historian like
myself who is trying to prove our genealogy and understand better just who we are and where we
come from?
We can rest with of a peace of mind in knowing
that seasoned family historians have generally
come to the conclusion that If anyone's family
has a long-standing oral history of Native Ameri-
can heritage, it is probably a true fact.. Histori-
cally, Native people were classified as "non-
white" which severely limited (and sometimes prevented) their ability to function as free, white,
white people with equal rights. This meant that
free "people of color" often could not vote, could
not own land, and could not attend schools along
with white people, if at all.
Furrthermore; laws varied and how much non-
white heritage constituting "people of color"
ranged from the infamous "one drop" rule to les-
ser admixture, sometimes much more liberal, to
only the third generation. In essence, as soon
as individuals could become or pass for "white"
they did. It was socially and financially advanta-
It is not unusual to find a family who mo-
ved from one location to another, often westward,
and while they were classified as mulatto in their
old home, they were white in their new location.
Often there were only three or sometimes four
classifications available, white, negro or black,
mulatto and indian. Sometimes Indian was a
good thing to be, because in some colonial
states, Indians weren't taxed. However, this
also means their existence in a particular area
often went unrecorded.
Any classification other than white meant in terms
of social and legal status that these people were lesser citizens. Therefore, Native American or
other heritage that was not visually obvious was hidden and whispered about, sometimes re-
named to much less emotionally and socially
charged monikers,. such as Black Dutch, Black-
Irish and possibly also Portuguese.
For family linage researchers such as myself, or
any genalogists who may be lucky, there maybe
records which confirms true genealoogy , such as
the Dawes Rolls and other legal documents. More often, there are only hints, if even that, such as a census where an ancestor is listed as mulatto, or some other document that hints at true heritage.
Most often though, the stories are very vague, and
were whispered or hidden for generations. Re-
ferences may be oral or found in old letters or documents. Supporting documentation is often missing.
Many times, it was the woman of the couple who
was admixed initially. of ourse leading to admixed children, but with 50% less admixture than their
mixed parent. It was much more common for a
male of European stock to intermarry with Native
or admixed women, rather than the other way
around.
This means to genetic genealogists today, that
they are likely to meet with with frustration when attempting to document Native heritage in a male line.
Remarks: As our research continues, we will ad-
dress varies means DNA. Tests to help us build
a Pedigree chart to track our ancestry
General Infornation Source
http://www.genpage.com/Native_American_
Hertiage.HTMI
Blackfoot Confederacy
Source: Wikipedia.org
The Blackfoot Confederacy or Niitsitapi (meaning "original people"; c.f.(Ojibwe: Anishinaabeg and Quinnipiac: Eansketambawg) is the collective
name of three First Nations in Alberta and one
Native American tribe in Montana.
The Blackfoot Confederacy consists of the North Peigan (Aapatohsipikani), the Piegan Blackfeet or South Piegan (Aamsskaapipikani), the Kainai Na-
tion (Kainaa: "Blood") and the Siksika Nation ("Blackfoot") or more correctly Siksikawa ("Blackfoot people". The South Peigan are lo-
cated in Montana, and the other three are located
in Alberta. Together they call themselves the Niitsitapi (the "Original People"). These groups shared a common dialect of the Algonquin langu-
age (also seen as "Algonkian") a well as a com-
mon culture. They also had treaties of mutual defense, and members of the groups freely intermarried.
