NameCensus.

UK surname

Moate

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from the town of Moate in Ireland.

In the 1881 census there were 222 people recorded with the Moate surname, ranking it #12,022 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 404, ranked #11,793, up from #12,022 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Petherton, North, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth and Doncaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Ashford, Leeds and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moate is 446 in 2000. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.0%.

1881 census count

222

Ranked #12,022

Modern count

404

2016, ranked #11,793

Peak year

2000

446 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moate had 222 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,022 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 404 in 2016, ranked #11,793.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 354 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Moate surname distribution map

The map shows where the Moate surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Moate surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moate over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 173 #11,629
1861 historical 177 #13,265
1881 historical 222 #12,022
1891 historical 238 #13,202
1901 historical 283 #12,117
1911 historical 354 #10,192
1997 modern 430 #10,423
1998 modern 443 #10,526
1999 modern 444 #10,555
2000 modern 446 #10,516
2001 modern 439 #10,447
2002 modern 440 #10,638
2003 modern 421 #10,844
2004 modern 439 #10,516
2005 modern 411 #10,956
2006 modern 405 #11,131
2007 modern 397 #11,433
2008 modern 402 #11,419
2009 modern 421 #11,246
2010 modern 403 #11,925
2011 modern 389 #12,106
2012 modern 388 #11,996
2013 modern 406 #11,790
2014 modern 403 #11,932
2015 modern 398 #11,949
2016 modern 404 #11,793

Geography

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Where Moates are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Petherton, North, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, Doncaster, Romney, New and Middleton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Ashford, Leeds, East Riding of Yorkshire, Sedgemoor and Barnsley. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Petherton, North Somerset
2 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
3 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Romney, New Kent
5 Middleton Yorkshire, East Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Ashford 012 Ashford
2 Leeds 086 Leeds
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 026 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 Sedgemoor 011 Sedgemoor
5 Barnsley 007 Barnsley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moate

These lists show first names that appear often with the Moate surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moate

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Moate, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Moate surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Moate household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Moate is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Moate is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Moate falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Moate is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Moate, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Moate

The surname Moate is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Shropshire, during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "mot," which means a meeting or assembly, referring to a place where local gatherings or councils were held.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Moate can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mot" or "Mote." This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, the name was associated with the village of Mote, located in the parish of Muckleton, Shropshire. The village's name likely originated from the same Old English word "mot," indicating that it was once a meeting place or assembly site.

One notable individual with the surname Moate was Sir Thomas Moate, who lived in the 16th century and served as a Member of Parliament for Shropshire in 1584. Another early bearer of the name was Richard Moate, who was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls of Shropshire in 1327.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, variations in the spelling of the name began to appear, such as Mote, Moat, and Mott. This was likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistent nature of spelling during that time period.

In the 18th century, the name Moate was associated with the town of Moate in County Westmeath, Ireland. It is believed that some English settlers with the surname Moate may have arrived in Ireland during the Plantation of Ulster in the early 17th century, contributing to the spread of the name in that region.

Among notable individuals with the surname Moate throughout history are:

1. Sir Robert Moate (c. 1550-1624), an English politician and landowner in Shropshire. 2. Thomas Moate (c. 1580-1647), an English clergyman and author of religious works. 3. William Moate (c. 1670-1735), an English architect known for his work on churches in Shropshire. 4. John Moate (c. 1720-1795), an Irish politician and landowner in County Westmeath. 5. Mary Moate (c. 1810-1885), an English novelist and writer of children's books.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moate families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moate surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 101 Moates recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.69x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 101 4.69x
Middlesex 30 1.38x
Kent 18 2.43x
Cheshire 14 2.92x
Lancashire 11 0.43x
Nottinghamshire 10 3.41x
Surrey 8 0.75x
Glamorgan 7 1.85x
Lincolnshire 7 2.01x
Sussex 3 0.82x
Warwickshire 3 0.55x
Hertfordshire 2 1.33x
Northumberland 2 0.62x
Bedfordshire 1 0.89x
Berkshire 1 0.61x
Essex 1 0.23x
Hampshire 1 0.22x
Norfolk 1 0.30x
Royal Navy 1 3.86x
Somerset 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Doncaster in Yorkshire leads with 9 Moates recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.14x.

Place Total Index
Doncaster 9 57.14x
Ashton On Mersey 8 322.58x
Hook 8 168.78x
Hutton Cranswick 8 879.12x
Lambeth 8 4.22x
Misterton 8 879.12x
Tickton Hull Bridge 8 2857.14x
Hackney London 7 5.74x
Meaux 7 8750.00x
Middleton On Wolds 7 1489.36x
Ystradyfodwg 7 21.07x
Bromley London 6 12.54x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 14.63x
Leeds 5 4.11x
Littlebourne 5 892.86x
Tranmere 5 28.33x
Balby Cum Hexthorpe 4 155.64x
Bawtry 4 588.24x
Beverley St Nicholas 4 225.99x
Fenwick 4 2666.67x
Folkestone 4 27.78x
Marton 4 1212.12x
Melbourne 4 1176.47x
New Romney 4 526.32x
Birmingham 3 1.64x
Brightside Bierlow 3 7.10x
Deptford St Paul 3 5.24x
Hampstead London 3 8.85x
Hove 3 18.65x
Limehouse London 3 12.56x
North Cave Drewton 3 352.94x
Southcoates 3 25.06x
St Pancras London 3 1.71x
York St Nicholas In 3 247.93x
Chadderton 2 15.85x
Elswick 2 7.74x
Gorton 2 8.24x
Great Driffield 2 45.25x
Hatfield In Thorne 2 149.25x
Manningham 2 7.53x
Methley 2 66.01x
Newark Upon Trent 2 18.98x
South Cave 2 277.78x
Spalding 2 28.99x
St George In East 2 13.51x
Abbots Langley 1 44.84x
Berkhampstead 1 29.67x
Beverley St Mary 1 31.75x
Bow London 1 3.61x
Bray 1 20.83x
Dover St Mary Virgin 1 13.93x
Everton 1 1.22x
Gillingham 1 6.54x
Goole 1 27.70x
Kensington London 1 0.83x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.91x
North Newbald 1 208.33x
North Petherton 1 35.46x
Osbaldwick 1 833.33x
Over 1 20.49x
Pannal 1 48.31x
Poplar London 1 2.44x
Romford 1 14.73x
Royal Navy 1 4.51x
Sheffield 1 1.46x
St George Hanover 1 3.52x
Stagsden 1 243.90x
Stamford St Michael 1 101.01x
Stoke Newington London 1 5.90x
Whitwell 1 312.50x
Wighill 1 555.56x
Wootton 1 1250.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Moate surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Moate surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 14
Thomas 10
William 10
Robert 9
George 7
Henry 6
James 5
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Charles 3
Richard 3
Edward 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
A. 1
Amos 1
Archibald 1
Benjam. 1
Charley 1
Child 1
Crofton 1
David 1
Enoch 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Fredk.J. 1
Geo.Walter 1
Geo.William 1
Herbert 1
Horace 1
Horatio 1
Jane 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Millicent 1
Percy 1
Reuben 1
Roger 1
Sed.Wm.Richd. 1
Septimus 1
Shaw 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Tom 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Moate surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moate surname in 1881?

In 1881, 222 people were recorded with the Moate surname. That placed it at #12,022 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moate surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 404 in 2016. That gives Moate a modern rank of #11,793.

What does the Moate surname mean?

A surname derived from a place name referring to someone from the town of Moate in Ireland.

What does the Moate map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Moate bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.