NameCensus.

UK surname

Moir

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "moor" or "heath."

In the 1881 census there were 4,133 people recorded with the Moir surname, ranking it #1,095 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,846, ranked #1,397, down from #1,095 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mearns South and Benholm, Ythanside and Balmedie and Potterton.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moir is 4,936 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 17.3%.

1881 census count

4,133

Ranked #1,095

Modern count

4,846

2016, ranked #1,397

Peak year

2010

4,936 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moir had 4,133 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,095 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,846 in 2016, ranked #1,397.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,827 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Moir surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moir surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moir 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 2,768 #1,058
1861 historical 2,854 #1,024
1881 historical 4,133 #1,095
1891 historical 4,456 #1,060
1901 historical 4,827 #1,172
1911 historical 1,155 #4,046
1997 modern 4,676 #1,398
1998 modern 4,841 #1,401
1999 modern 4,859 #1,407
2000 modern 4,894 #1,394
2001 modern 4,693 #1,417
2002 modern 4,798 #1,420
2003 modern 4,671 #1,424
2004 modern 4,730 #1,399
2005 modern 4,698 #1,384
2006 modern 4,682 #1,397
2007 modern 4,721 #1,397
2008 modern 4,758 #1,394
2009 modern 4,882 #1,395
2010 modern 4,936 #1,411
2011 modern 4,881 #1,406
2012 modern 4,788 #1,405
2013 modern 4,843 #1,410
2014 modern 4,879 #1,410
2015 modern 4,859 #1,400
2016 modern 4,846 #1,397

Geography

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Where Moirs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Glasgow and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mearns South and Benholm, Ythanside, Balmedie and Potterton, Ellon East and Fyvie-Rothie. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mearns South and Benholm Aberdeenshire
2 Ythanside Aberdeenshire
3 Balmedie and Potterton Aberdeenshire
4 Ellon East Aberdeenshire
5 Fyvie-Rothie Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moir

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moir

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Moir, 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 Moir surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Moir 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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Moir 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

Moir 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

Moir falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Moir

The surname Moir has its origins in Scotland, with the earliest records dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "moir" or "moyr," meaning "dark" or "black," which may have been used as a descriptive nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

The name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Aberdeenshire, Angus, and Perthshire, where it is thought to have originated. In ancient Scottish records, the name is often spelled as "More," "Mure," or "Muir," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that time.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The document lists several individuals with the surname Moir, indicating its presence in Scotland during the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were records of financial transactions and land grants. One notable entry is that of John Moir, who was granted lands in Aberdeenshire in 1378.

Throughout history, the Moir surname has been associated with several notable figures. Sir Robert Moir (1668-1737) was a Scottish politician and judge who served as Lord President of the Court of Session. Thomas Moir (1779-1852), better known by his pen name "Delta," was a Scottish writer and poet who contributed to various literary journals.

Another prominent figure was George Moir (1800-1870), a Scottish writer and biographer who wrote extensively on literary figures such as John Milton and Alexander Pope. In the 20th century, Charles Moir (1900-1976) was a Scottish footballer who played for Aberdeen and the Scottish national team.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Moir surname can be traced back to the 13th century, when William Moir, a landowner in Aberdeenshire, is mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296. This ancient document provides valuable insight into the historical presence of the name in Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moir families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moir 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. Aberdeenshire leads with 1,097 Moirs recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.48x.

County Total Index
Aberdeenshire 1,097 29.48x
Angus 498 13.38x
Lanarkshire 353 2.72x
Midlothian 327 6.07x
Banffshire 212 25.44x
Kincardineshire 193 39.44x
Perthshire 179 9.93x
Middlesex 134 0.33x
Stirlingshire 115 7.76x
Fife 113 4.75x
Durham 111 0.93x
Lancashire 104 0.22x
Morayshire 83 13.29x
Kent 68 0.50x
Surrey 59 0.30x
Ayrshire 51 1.70x
Renfrewshire 51 1.64x
Northumberland 36 0.60x
Clackmannanshire 35 10.55x
Dunbartonshire 29 2.69x
Dumfriesshire 27 3.04x
Essex 26 0.33x
Ross-shire 24 2.18x
Yorkshire 22 0.06x
Selkirkshire 14 3.85x
Roxburghshire 13 1.79x
Inverness-shire 11 0.92x
West Lothian 10 1.65x
Berwickshire 9 1.85x
Caithness 9 1.64x
Nairnshire 9 7.34x
Sussex 8 0.12x
Hertfordshire 7 0.25x
Argyllshire 5 0.45x
Cheshire 5 0.06x
Devon 5 0.06x
Dorset 5 0.19x
Gloucestershire 5 0.06x
Leicestershire 5 0.11x
Shropshire 5 0.14x
Derbyshire 4 0.06x
Glamorgan 4 0.06x
Oxfordshire 4 0.16x
Royal Navy 4 0.84x
Channel Islands 3 0.25x
Hampshire 3 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 3 0.06x
Shetland 3 0.73x
Buteshire 2 0.82x
Montgomeryshire 2 0.22x
Norfolk 2 0.03x
Sutherland 2 0.65x
Warwickshire 2 0.02x
Berkshire 1 0.03x
Cornwall 1 0.02x
Cumberland 1 0.03x
East Lothian 1 0.19x
Lincolnshire 1 0.02x
Peeblesshire 1 0.53x
Somerset 1 0.02x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Aberdeen Old Machar in Aberdeenshire leads with 279 Moirs recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.91x.

Place Total Index
Aberdeen Old Machar 279 35.91x
Govan 156 4.85x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 153 7.07x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 143 20.54x
Dundee 120 8.64x
Montrose 104 46.10x
Barony 74 2.25x
Glasgow 49 2.12x
Bervie 47 162.12x
Mortlach 47 115.48x
Maryhill 43 16.90x
Fetteresso 42 54.77x
Monquhitter 42 109.03x
Dunfermline 38 10.39x
Liff Benvie 38 6.72x
Keith 36 40.52x
Peterhead 35 17.79x
Insch 33 155.88x
Methlick 33 110.78x
Perth East Church 33 19.41x
St Fergus 32 151.95x
South Leith 31 5.12x
Inverurie 29 68.90x
Bishopwearmouth 28 2.73x
Longside 28 63.01x
Alloa 26 16.16x
St Vigeans 26 12.94x
Foveran 25 88.75x
Muthill 25 106.25x
Bonhill 24 13.85x
Chapel Of Garioch 24 90.63x
Deptford St Paul 24 2.27x
Old Deer 24 34.03x
Banchory Ternan 23 54.36x
Forfar 23 11.41x
Hampstead London 23 3.68x
Kilmarnock 22 6.15x
Kirkden 22 94.46x
New Deer 21 31.17x
Kemnay 20 88.65x
Newhills 20 26.25x
Belhelvie 19 74.69x
Ellon 19 37.12x
Fyvie 19 31.29x
Kincardine 19 102.26x
Meldrum 19 60.61x
Edinburgh St Georges 18 16.11x
West Derby 18 1.29x
Bourtie 17 266.46x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 17 13.35x
Everton 17 1.12x
Inveresk 17 11.66x
Lochlee 17 342.05x
Auchterarder 16 31.78x
St Cyrus 16 78.24x
Stockton On Tees 16 2.78x
Tarves 16 45.45x
Avoch 15 64.38x
Brechin 15 10.25x
Dyce 15 93.52x
Elgin 15 12.35x
Logie Buchan 15 140.71x
St Andrews 15 13.86x
Falkirk 14 4.04x
Galashiels 14 10.42x
Monifieth 14 10.65x
Stirling 14 7.49x
Clerkenwell London 13 1.37x
Forres 13 19.81x
Kensington London 13 0.58x
Kilmadock 13 31.35x
Rathven 13 8.30x
Abbey 12 2.53x
Alvah 12 63.93x
Banff 12 16.58x
Chertsey 12 9.49x
Deptford St Nicholas 12 11.03x
Forgue 12 35.91x
Duddingston 11 10.18x
King Edward 11 25.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 39
Margaret 29
Elizabeth 19
Sarah 16
Annie 15
Ann 14
Jane 13
Agnes 8
Emily 8
Jessie 7
Ellen 6
Helen 6
Louisa 6
Isabella 5
Maria 5
Alice 4
Catherine 4
Emma 4
Rebecca 4
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Caroline 3
Isabel 3
Janet 3
May 3
Rose 3
Ruth 3
Ada 2
Barbara 2
Bridget 2
Charlotte 2
Edith 2
Elisa 2
Eliz. 2
Eliza 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Gertrude 2
Harriett 2
Jean 2
Jennie 2
Mabel 2
Margeret 2
Margret 2
Martha 2
Maud 2
Susan 2
Teresa 2
Betsy 1
Wortley 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 47
William 27
George 24
James 22
Robert 20
Alexander 14
Charles 14
Andrew 10
Henry 10
David 8
Arthur 7
Thomas 7
Joseph 6
Edward 5
Edwin 4
Frederick 4
Peter 4
Willm. 4
Albert 3
Adam 2
Archibald 2
Daniel 2
Douglas 2
Francis 2
Frank 2
Fredk. 2
Geo. 2
Lewis 2
Patrick 2
Richard 2
Walter 2
Alan 1
Alexandr. 1
Allan 1
Andreas 1
Archebold 1
Dugald 1
Ed.Geo. 1
Elexander 1
Emanuel 1
Ernest 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jno. 1
Kenneth 1
Leslie 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Moir surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moir surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,133 people were recorded with the Moir surname. That placed it at #1,095 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moir surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,846 in 2016. That gives Moir a modern rank of #1,397.

What does the Moir surname mean?

A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "moor" or "heath."

What does the Moir map show?

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