NameCensus.

UK surname

Moodie

A surname derived from the Old English "mod" meaning brave or bold.

In the 1881 census there were 1,410 people recorded with the Moodie surname, ranking it #2,944 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,488, ranked #4,152, down from #2,944 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Westray and Papa Westray. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Greenock Town Centre and East Central, East Mainland and West Kirkwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moodie is 1,731 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5.5%.

1881 census count

1,410

Ranked #2,944

Modern count

1,488

2016, ranked #4,152

Peak year

1901

1,731 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moodie had 1,410 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,944 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,488 in 2016, ranked #4,152.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,731 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Moodie surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moodie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moodie 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 982 #2,843
1861 historical 1,097 #2,559
1881 historical 1,410 #2,944
1891 historical 1,646 #2,726
1901 historical 1,731 #2,993
1911 historical 375 #9,747
1997 modern 1,477 #3,964
1998 modern 1,510 #4,023
1999 modern 1,556 #3,960
2000 modern 1,518 #4,019
2001 modern 1,481 #4,025
2002 modern 1,512 #4,044
2003 modern 1,466 #4,073
2004 modern 1,464 #4,077
2005 modern 1,457 #4,058
2006 modern 1,446 #4,090
2007 modern 1,445 #4,128
2008 modern 1,434 #4,176
2009 modern 1,480 #4,159
2010 modern 1,503 #4,178
2011 modern 1,457 #4,234
2012 modern 1,437 #4,219
2013 modern 1,481 #4,189
2014 modern 1,487 #4,199
2015 modern 1,468 #4,214
2016 modern 1,488 #4,152

Geography

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Where Moodies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Westray and Papa Westray, Glasgow and Paisley Abbey. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Greenock Town Centre and East Central, East Mainland, West Kirkwall, Sutherland East and IZ09. 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 Westray and Papa Westray Orkney
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Paisley Abbey Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
2 East Mainland Orkney Islands
3 West Kirkwall Orkney Islands
4 Sutherland East Highland
5 IZ09 East Lothian

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moodie

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moodie

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Moodie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Moodie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Moodie 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

Moodie 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

Moodie falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Moodie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Moodie

The surname MOODIE is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the early 14th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "mody" or "modi," which means "brave" or "bold." This suggests that the name was initially a nickname given to someone who displayed these characteristics.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MOODIE can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1329, where a person named Thomas Mody is mentioned. The surname is also found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list Scottish landowners who had sworn allegiance to King Edward I of England.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the MOODIE surname was prevalent in the counties of Aberdeenshire, Angus, and Perthshire in Scotland. Some variations of the spelling included Moodie, Moody, Mudie, and Mudey.

In the historical records of the Clan Mudie or Moodie, there are references to a Sir John Moodie who fought alongside King Robert the Bruce during the Scottish Wars of Independence in the early 14th century. Another notable MOODIE was Alexander Moodie, a Scottish minister and author who lived from 1699 to 1771.

In the 18th century, the MOODIE surname appeared in the Commissariot Records of St. Andrews, a Scottish ecclesiastical court. One entry from 1705 mentions a Robert Moodie, a tenant farmer in the parish of Kingsbarns.

Another noteworthy figure with the MOODIE surname was James Moodie, a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1743 and died in 1808.

In the 19th century, a prominent MOODIE was Susanna Moodie, a renowned English-born Canadian author and pioneer who lived from 1803 to 1885. She is best known for her literary works that chronicle her experiences as a settler in Canada, such as "Roughing It in the Bush."

The MOODIE surname has also been associated with place names in Scotland, such as Moodie's Park in Perthshire and Moodie's Well in Angus, further highlighting its Scottish heritage.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moodie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moodie 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. Midlothian leads with 182 Moodies recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.91x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 182 9.91x
Fife 179 22.05x
Lanarkshire 173 3.90x
Orkney 117 77.54x
Renfrewshire 91 8.56x
Angus 61 4.80x
Shetland 51 36.41x
Caithness 45 23.96x
Middlesex 45 0.33x
Ayrshire 36 3.51x
Wigtownshire 29 15.92x
Lancashire 28 0.17x
Yorkshire 27 0.20x
Stirlingshire 26 5.14x
East Lothian 24 13.21x
Roxburghshire 21 8.45x
Clackmannanshire 20 17.66x
Perthshire 20 3.25x
Selkirkshire 20 16.12x
Buteshire 19 22.86x
Kirkcudbrightshire 16 8.06x
Kent 15 0.32x
Dunbartonshire 14 3.80x
Essex 14 0.52x
Durham 13 0.32x
Kinross-shire 13 37.50x
Aberdeenshire 12 0.94x
Surrey 11 0.16x
Kincardineshire 9 5.39x
Northumberland 9 0.44x
West Lothian 9 4.36x
Argyllshire 8 2.10x
Carmarthenshire 8 1.38x
Cheshire 6 0.20x
Sussex 6 0.26x
Lincolnshire 5 0.23x
Brecknockshire 3 1.09x
Norfolk 3 0.14x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.69x
Shropshire 3 0.25x
Anglesey 2 0.82x
Cornwall 2 0.13x
Worcestershire 2 0.11x
Berwickshire 1 0.60x
Cumberland 1 0.08x
Hampshire 1 0.04x
Monmouthshire 1 0.10x
Oxfordshire 1 0.12x
Peeblesshire 1 1.55x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dunfermline in Fife leads with 74 Moodies recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.28x.

Place Total Index
Dunfermline 74 59.28x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 65 8.79x
Govan 56 5.10x
Lady 43 961.97x
Glasgow 37 4.70x
Abbey 34 20.96x
South Leith 33 15.96x
Dundee 29 6.11x
Cross Burness N 28 355.33x
Wemyss 28 81.51x
Maryhill 27 31.10x
Sandsting Aitsting 24 189.13x
Barony 23 2.05x
Canisbay 21 170.32x
North Leith 21 24.70x
Eastwood 20 30.55x
Prestonpans 20 164.20x
Stronsay Eday 19 192.50x
Falkirk 17 14.36x
Inverkeithing 17 139.00x
Carnock 16 321.93x
Rothesay 16 39.76x
Troqueer 16 61.42x
Clerkenwell London 15 4.63x
Kirkcaldy 15 37.25x
Thornaby 15 29.54x
Galashiels 14 30.52x
Dysart 13 23.77x
Gateshead 13 4.26x
Aberdeen Old Machar 12 4.52x
Kinross 12 100.93x
Lerwick Gulberwick 12 55.35x
Westray Papa Westray 12 100.25x
Edinburgh St Marys 11 30.80x
Hougham 11 39.53x
Islington London 11 0.83x
Largs 11 45.49x
Liff Benvie 11 5.70x
Stranraer 11 66.03x
Tillicoultry 11 43.65x
Whiteness Weisdale 11 260.05x
Auchterarder 10 58.21x
Colinton 10 48.80x
Bingley 9 10.40x
Cavers 9 144.93x
Fettercairn 9 126.76x
Kensington London 9 1.18x
Toxteth Park 9 1.63x
Edinburgh Greenside 8 32.95x
Halkirk 8 62.99x
Inch 8 45.05x
Llanelly 8 6.14x
Old Cumnock 8 35.01x
Old Monkland 8 4.54x
Penninghame 8 43.08x
Shapinshay 8 174.67x
Cadder 7 21.37x
Cambuslang 7 15.65x
Cardross 7 15.82x
Dalrymple 7 108.86x
Edinburgh Canongate 7 14.97x
Edinburgh Old 7 62.78x
Kirkwall St Ola 7 30.97x
Newington 7 1.38x
Strachur Stralachlan 7 222.22x
West Greenock 7 3.67x
Abercorn 6 146.70x
Cambusnethan 6 6.09x
Clackmannan 6 28.02x
Jedburgh 6 24.64x
Lochwinnoch 6 37.88x
Montrose 6 7.79x
Neilston 6 11.24x
Paisley Low Church 6 17.83x
Penicuik 6 24.03x
Selkirk 6 17.16x
St Pancras London 6 0.54x
Thurso 6 20.48x
West Ham 6 1.00x
Paisley Middle Church 5 8.08x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 9
James 8
Robert 8
Thomas 8
George 4
Henry 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Andrew 2
D. 2
Edwin 2
Jno. 2
Peter 2
Walter 2
Willie 2
Aleck 1
Alexander 1
Archibald 1
Arthur 1
Douglas 1
Edwd. 1
Ernest 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Luther 1
Quinton 1
Ralph 1
W. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Moodie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moodie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,410 people were recorded with the Moodie surname. That placed it at #2,944 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moodie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,488 in 2016. That gives Moodie a modern rank of #4,152.

What does the Moodie surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English "mod" meaning brave or bold.

What does the Moodie map show?

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