Moreau

Moreau is a surname of French origin and a place name used in Francophone regions and areas influenced by French settlement. The surname derives from Old French more, meaning marsh or bog, with the common suffix -au forming descriptive toponyms. Consequently, Moreau likely originated as a designation for someone who lived near marshlands or worked in marshy terrain.

Notable individuals with the surname include Gustave Moreau (1826–1898), a French Symbolist painter whose mythological and biblical subjects helped shape late 19th‑century French art. The name is common in France and other Francophone areas and is borne by people across various fields, including the arts and sciences.

In fiction, Moreau is best known as Dr. Moreau, the scientist in H. G. Wells's The Island of Dr. Moreau (1896). The character conducts vivisection to create hybrid animal–human beings, a storyline that has influenced popular culture and discussions of ethical limits in science.

Geography: In the United States, Moreau is the name of a town in Saratoga County, New York. Moreau Lake State Park is located in the area, and the toponym Moreau is commonly associated with the region.

Variations of the name include Moreaux, reflecting dialectal spellings in different regions.