Specimens of H. morrisi were described as early as 1849, but were assigned to Hoploparia gammaroides rather than Homarus by scientists that included Frederick M'Coy and Thomas Bell. In 1987, W. J. Quayle recognised that the material then ascribed to Hoploparia gammaroides represented two species, and described the new species Homarus morrisi for those that didn't match the description of Hoploparia gammaroides.[1] The specific epithet honours S. F. Morris of the Department of Palaeontology at the "British Museum (Natural History)" (now the Natural History Museum).[1]