NameCensus.

UK surname

Moffitt

Derived from a place name meaning "Moff's land" in Old English, referring to an early landowner.

In the 1881 census there were 481 people recorded with the Moffitt surname, ranking it #6,969 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 668, ranked #8,003, down from #6,969 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Jarrow and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Gateshead, Northumberland and Bradford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moffitt is 743 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 38.9%.

1881 census count

481

Ranked #6,969

Modern count

668

2016, ranked #8,003

Peak year

1911

743 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moffitt had 481 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,969 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 668 in 2016, ranked #8,003.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 743 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Moffitt surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moffitt surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moffitt 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 237 #9,152
1861 historical 191 #12,467
1881 historical 481 #6,969
1891 historical 498 #7,454
1901 historical 623 #6,862
1911 historical 743 #5,776
1997 modern 658 #7,596
1998 modern 692 #7,552
1999 modern 694 #7,567
2000 modern 679 #7,671
2001 modern 671 #7,607
2002 modern 666 #7,805
2003 modern 667 #7,680
2004 modern 662 #7,731
2005 modern 640 #7,855
2006 modern 628 #8,016
2007 modern 648 #7,883
2008 modern 645 #7,959
2009 modern 654 #8,030
2010 modern 671 #8,050
2011 modern 652 #8,138
2012 modern 638 #8,175
2013 modern 667 #8,042
2014 modern 672 #8,037
2015 modern 663 #8,063
2016 modern 668 #8,003

Geography

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Where Moffitts are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Jarrow, Gateshead, Newcastle St John and West Derby. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Gateshead, Northumberland and Bradford. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Jarrow Durham
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Newcastle St John Northumberland
5 West Derby Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Gateshead 015 Gateshead
2 Gateshead 016 Gateshead
3 Northumberland 036 Northumberland
4 Bradford 014 Bradford
5 Gateshead 002 Gateshead

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moffitt

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moffitt

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Moffitt, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Moffitt surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Moffitt household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Moffitt is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

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

Moffitt is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Moffitt falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Moffitt 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 Moffitt, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Moffitt

The surname Moffitt is of Scottish origin and is believed to have derived from a locational name referring to the lands of Moffat, a town located in the historic county of Dumfriesshire, Scotland. The name Moffat itself is thought to come from the Old Gaelic word "mam" meaning "rounded hill" and the Old English word "fat" meaning "a homestead or settlement."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls recording acts of fealty to Edward I of England in the late 13th century. In these rolls, the name is spelled as "Moffet" and is associated with individuals from the Scottish Borders region.

During the Middle Ages, the Moffitt family held lands in the parish of Moffat and played a significant role in the local community. Records from the 15th and 16th centuries mention several individuals bearing the Moffitt surname, such as John Moffitt, who was granted a charter for lands in Moffatdale in 1452, and Robert Moffitt, a notable landowner in the same area in the late 16th century.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Moffitt was Sir Adam Moffitt, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Moffitt, a Scottish diplomat and ambassador who served under King James IV in the late 15th century.

In the 17th century, the Moffitt family gained prominence in the literary world with the poet and writer, William Moffitt (1623-1687), who was born in Dumfriesshire and is known for his collection of poems titled "The Moffitt Miscellany."

As the Moffitt family spread across Scotland and beyond, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Moffat, Moffett, Moffat, and Moffett. One notable individual with this surname was James Moffett (1789-1870), a Scottish-American industrialist who established the Moffett & Company, a successful shipping and trading firm in New York City.

Throughout history, the Moffitt surname has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including landowners, military personnel, poets, and businessmen. While the name has its roots in the Scottish Borders, it has since spread across the globe, with Moffitt families residing in various parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moffitt families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moffitt 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. Durham leads with 122 Moffitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.69x.

County Total Index
Durham 122 8.69x
Northumberland 97 13.81x
Lancashire 85 1.52x
Yorkshire 73 1.56x
Middlesex 31 0.66x
Cumberland 24 5.90x
Nottinghamshire 9 1.41x
Norfolk 7 0.96x
Surrey 6 0.26x
Cheshire 5 0.48x
Staffordshire 5 0.31x
Shropshire 4 0.98x
Berkshire 3 0.85x
Hampshire 3 0.31x
Kent 3 0.19x
Hertfordshire 2 0.61x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.52x
Cornwall 1 0.19x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.78x
Somerset 1 0.13x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Elswick in Northumberland leads with 23 Moffitts recorded in 1881 and an index of 41.03x.

Place Total Index
Elswick 23 41.03x
West Derby 20 12.20x
Westoe 20 25.12x
Gateshead 17 16.17x
Harton 13 234.23x
Thornaby 11 62.93x
Acklington 10 2631.58x
Hetton Le Hole 10 56.18x
Islington London 10 2.19x
Linthorpe 10 35.82x
Ovington 10 1162.79x
Sheffield 10 6.71x
Cheetham 9 21.54x
Ebchester 9 412.84x
Shoreditch London 9 4.40x
Westleigh 9 70.75x
Hepscott 8 2352.94x
Kyo 8 121.03x
Medomsley 8 122.14x
North Seaton 8 271.19x
St Cuthbert W O Brisco 8 1739.13x
Bishopwearmouth 7 5.81x
Farnworth 7 20.85x
Heigham 7 17.97x
Liverpool 7 2.06x
Tanshelf 7 187.17x
Benwell 6 78.13x
Caldewgate 6 26.94x
Coxlodge 6 112.36x
Gringley On Hill 6 447.76x
Normanby In 6 47.96x
North Dissington 6 5454.55x
Pelton 6 89.82x
Sandwith 6 1000.00x
St Luke London 6 7.92x
Harborne 5 9.79x
Preston 5 3.34x
Salford 5 3.03x
Whitby 5 31.71x
Wortley In Bramley 5 13.50x
Barnsley 4 8.29x
Broughton In Salford 4 7.81x
Castleton 4 7.15x
Hulme 4 3.42x
Keighley 4 8.02x
Lesbury 4 258.06x
Lostock Gralam 4 317.46x
Ryton 4 80.97x
Shifnal 4 36.13x
Winlaton 4 29.67x
Chatton 3 138.89x
Irthington 3 312.50x
Leeds 3 1.14x
Monk Hesleden 3 76.73x
Newbottle 3 39.11x
Newington 3 1.72x
Nottingham St Mary 3 1.82x
Plawsworth 3 197.37x
Reading St Giles 3 8.63x
Tottenham 3 3.99x
Tynemouth 3 7.97x
Accrington 2 3.93x
Ashton Under Lyne 2 1.63x
Bradford 2 1.77x
Byker 2 5.76x
Camberwell 2 0.66x
Greenwich 2 2.66x
Little Houghton 2 1000.00x
Newcastle On Tyne St 2 5.49x
Portsea 2 1.05x
Sawbridgeworth 2 40.57x
Shilbottle 2 289.86x
Stoke Newington London 2 5.44x
Toxteth Park 2 1.05x
Bishop Auckland 1 5.31x
Cardiff St Mary 1 2.21x
Escrick 1 105.26x
Everton 1 0.56x
Rock 1 238.10x
St Martin Ludgate 1 625.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 44
Elizabeth 15
Jane 15
Sarah 15
Margaret 13
Ann 12
Annie 10
Isabella 10
Alice 8
Ellen 8
Frances 6
Catherine 5
Eliz. 3
Eliza 3
Emma 3
Martha 3
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Edith 2
Eleanor 2
Emily 2
Fanny 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Henrietta 2
Louisa 2
Margret 2
Maria 2
Rebecca 2
Alberta 1
Amy 1
Anna 1
Barbara 1
Bridget 1
Catharine 1
Charlotte 1
Dora 1
Elizth. 1
Georgina 1
Hanh. 1
Henrieta 1
Isaballa 1
Janet 1
Janie 1
Jenny 1
Jessie 1
Kezzia 1
Lollie 1
Margt. 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 43
William 32
Thomas 26
Robert 17
James 15
Joseph 11
Charles 10
Edward 9
George 9
David 7
Alexander 4
Matthew 4
Ralph 4
Francis 3
Henry 3
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Christopher 2
Frederick 2
Herbert 2
Robson 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Benjamin 1
Cornelius 1
Cyril 1
Ernest 1
Fredk.J. 1
Fredrick 1
Geo.E. 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
Jonathan 1
Jos.H. 1
Micheal 1
Neverson 1
Patrick 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Phillip 1
Reginald 1
Richard 1
Richd. 1
Robt. 1
Robt.L. 1
Roger 1
Stephen 1
Tabitha 1
Walter 1
Wm.R. 1

FAQ

Moffitt surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moffitt surname in 1881?

In 1881, 481 people were recorded with the Moffitt surname. That placed it at #6,969 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moffitt surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 668 in 2016. That gives Moffitt a modern rank of #8,003.

What does the Moffitt surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "Moff's land" in Old English, referring to an early landowner.

What does the Moffitt map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Moffitt 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.