NameCensus.

UK surname

Moor

A toponymic surname denoting someone who lived on a moor or in a fen.

In the 1881 census there were 4,231 people recorded with the Moor surname, ranking it #1,060 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,542, ranked #4,009, down from #1,060 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, North Kesteven and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moor is 6,263 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 63.6%.

1881 census count

4,231

Ranked #1,060

Modern count

1,542

2016, ranked #4,009

Peak year

1851

6,263 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moor had 4,231 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,060 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,542 in 2016, ranked #4,009.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,263 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Moor surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moor surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moor 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 6,263 #441
1861 historical 6,220 #449
1881 historical 4,231 #1,060
1891 historical 3,968 #1,208
1901 historical 2,560 #2,146
1911 historical 2,225 #2,269
1997 modern 1,566 #3,767
1998 modern 1,585 #3,866
1999 modern 1,578 #3,913
2000 modern 1,562 #3,930
2001 modern 1,509 #3,962
2002 modern 1,531 #3,999
2003 modern 1,496 #4,010
2004 modern 1,457 #4,096
2005 modern 1,454 #4,065
2006 modern 1,419 #4,149
2007 modern 1,446 #4,124
2008 modern 1,470 #4,096
2009 modern 1,506 #4,105
2010 modern 1,544 #4,099
2011 modern 1,511 #4,131
2012 modern 1,512 #4,057
2013 modern 1,564 #3,995
2014 modern 1,556 #4,033
2015 modern 1,533 #4,053
2016 modern 1,542 #4,009

Geography

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Where Moors are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes, Gateshead, Manchester and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, North Kesteven and East Riding of Yorkshire. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 003 Northumberland
2 North Kesteven 007 North Kesteven
3 East Riding of Yorkshire 016 East Riding of Yorkshire
4 East Riding of Yorkshire 011 East Riding of Yorkshire
5 East Riding of Yorkshire 015 East Riding of Yorkshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moor

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moor

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Moor, 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 Moor surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Moor 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, Moor 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

Moor 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

Moor 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 Moor 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 Moor, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Moor

The surname "Moor" is of Old English origin, derived from the word "mor" meaning "marsh" or "swamp". It was initially a topographic name given to someone who lived near or worked on a marshy area. The name can be traced back to the 12th century, with early recordings such as Roger de la More in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166 and William de la More in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1203.

The Moor surname is particularly prevalent in counties like Somerset, Dorset, and Devon in southwestern England, where marshlands and wetlands were abundant. It is also found in other parts of England, such as Staffordshire and Cheshire, suggesting the migration of families bearing this name over time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de la More" and "atte More", indicating that some families were already using this surname during the Norman conquest of England.

In the 13th century, we find records of Richard de la More, who was a landowner in Somerset in 1243. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas de la More, a member of Parliament for Somerset in 1304.

During the 14th century, the surname began to take on various spellings, such as "Moor", "Moore", and "More". One prominent individual with this name was Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), a renowned Renaissance humanist, lawyer, and writer who served as Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry VIII.

In the 16th century, we have records of Richard Moor (c. 1570-1617), an English playwright and dramatist who wrote several plays, including "The Fencing Master" and "The Cruel Fair".

Another notable figure was Sir Jonas Moore (1617-1679), an English mathematician and surveyor who was involved in the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire of 1666.

In the 18th century, James Moor (1712-1779) was an English philosopher and writer known for his work "An Essay on the Nature and Immutability of Truth" which influenced later philosophers.

During the 19th century, John Moor (1789-1858) was a British naval officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became an admiral in the Royal Navy.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who bore the surname "Moor" or its variant spellings, reflecting its long-standing presence and significance in various areas of English society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moor families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moor 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 855 Moors recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.11x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 855 2.11x
Durham 613 5.03x
Northumberland 396 6.50x
Lancashire 324 0.67x
Cumberland 224 6.35x
Middlesex 194 0.47x
Devon 135 1.58x
Staffordshire 120 0.87x
Kent 106 0.76x
Surrey 90 0.45x
Hampshire 89 1.06x
Lincolnshire 85 1.30x
Sussex 79 1.14x
Cornwall 78 1.68x
Nottinghamshire 64 1.16x
Lanarkshire 62 0.47x
Suffolk 61 1.22x
Derbyshire 52 0.81x
Warwickshire 51 0.49x
Cheshire 43 0.48x
Essex 43 0.53x
Norfolk 43 0.68x
Somerset 30 0.46x
Glamorgan 28 0.39x
Gloucestershire 26 0.32x
Leicestershire 21 0.46x
Worcestershire 20 0.37x
Westmorland 18 2.00x
Ayrshire 17 0.55x
Northamptonshire 16 0.42x
Berkshire 14 0.46x
Monmouthshire 14 0.47x
Radnorshire 14 4.24x
Shropshire 13 0.37x
Angus 12 0.32x
Berwickshire 12 2.42x
Dorset 12 0.45x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 11 0.42x
Buckinghamshire 10 0.40x
Isle of Man 10 1.32x
Huntingdonshire 8 0.98x
Ross-shire 8 0.71x
Herefordshire 7 0.42x
Midlothian 7 0.13x
Oxfordshire 7 0.28x
Flintshire 5 0.45x
Perthshire 4 0.22x
Renfrewshire 4 0.13x
West Lothian 4 0.65x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.17x
Pembrokeshire 3 0.23x
Bedfordshire 2 0.09x
Channel Islands 2 0.16x
Hertfordshire 2 0.07x
Orkney 2 0.44x
Roxburghshire 2 0.27x
Wiltshire 2 0.06x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.06x
Caithness 1 0.18x
Denbighshire 1 0.06x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.09x
Fife 1 0.04x
Inverness-shire 1 0.08x
Merionethshire 1 0.13x
Royal Navy 1 0.21x
Rutland 1 0.33x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 62 Moors recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.80x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 62 6.80x
Sculcoates 48 7.46x
Hartlepool 39 22.53x
Bishopwearmouth 38 3.63x
Berwick Upon Tweed 34 26.34x
Stranton 34 8.29x
Barony 33 0.98x
Elswick 33 6.79x
Stonebeck Down 32 689.66x
Birmingham 30 0.87x
High Low Bishopside 28 77.80x
Stockton On Tees 28 4.77x
Leeds 26 1.13x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 24 6.60x
Tynemouth 24 7.36x
Fountains Earth 23 507.73x
Hedleyhope 23 109.06x
Middlesbrough 23 4.35x
Ovenden 23 12.74x
Preston Quarter 23 23.29x
Ruskington 23 137.81x
Flimby 22 73.88x
Hulme 22 2.17x
Salford 22 1.54x
Sheffield 22 1.70x
Huddersfield 21 3.55x
Lambeth 21 0.59x
Penrith 21 16.13x
Seaton Delaval 21 39.26x
Wolsingham 21 18.92x
Dearham 20 43.01x
St Marylebone London 20 0.92x
Milton In Milton 19 32.00x
Poplar London 19 2.46x
Wath On Dearne 19 23.47x
Benwell 18 27.04x
Brightside Bierlow 18 2.26x
Chorley 18 6.60x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 18 3.41x
Holy Trinity 18 1.84x
Portsmouth 18 9.32x
Calstock 17 18.70x
Glasgow 17 0.72x
Mexborough 17 21.11x
Mile End Old Town 17 2.63x
Pocklington 17 44.39x
Rowley Regis 17 4.41x
Croydon 16 1.44x
Saxlingham Nethergate 16 214.19x
Westoe 16 2.32x
Toxteth Park 15 0.91x
Bingley 14 5.42x
Brandon Byshottles 14 9.17x
Bridekirk 14 49.73x
Coundon 14 28.36x
Harrington 14 32.90x
Liverpool 14 0.47x
Market Weighton Arras 14 53.11x
Portsea 14 0.85x
Sunderland 14 6.51x
Tweedmouth 14 18.44x
Alciston 13 483.27x
Birtley 13 26.15x
Blackburn 13 1.01x
Camberwell 13 0.50x
Holme On Spalding Moor 13 48.89x
Hutton Henry 13 50.68x
Longbenton 13 5.04x
Wolviston 13 153.30x
Aston 12 0.42x
Broom 12 118.93x
Budle 12 1100.92x
Ecclesall Bierlow 12 1.45x
Gomersal 12 6.34x
Nottingham St Mary 12 0.84x
Paddington London 12 0.80x
Sedgley 12 2.34x
Stoke Upon Trent 12 0.82x
West Ham 12 0.67x
Churchstanton 11 105.26x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 303
Elizabeth 180
Sarah 144
Jane 111
Ann 103
Margaret 83
Annie 69
Hannah 54
Emma 50
Isabella 45
Ellen 44
Eliza 41
Alice 38
Catherine 32
Martha 32
Emily 31
Harriet 22
Agnes 21
Maria 19
Louisa 18
Charlotte 16
Fanny 16
Ada 15
Bridget 15
Caroline 15
Amelia 13
Florence 13
Frances 13
Harriett 13
Lucy 13
Susan 12
Anne 11
Clara 11
Susannah 11
Kate 10
Rebecca 10
Edith 9
Eleanor 8
Grace 8
Matilda 8
Rose 8
Ruth 8
Sophia 8
Esther 7
Barbara 6
Elizth. 6
Georgina 6
Lydia 6
Maggie 6
Margt. 6

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 297
William 272
George 145
James 138
Thomas 131
Robert 84
Joseph 77
Charles 72
Henry 59
Samuel 31
Edward 30
Frederick 29
Richard 29
Alfred 28
Arthur 26
Frank 23
David 19
Harry 19
Albert 16
Francis 16
Michael 16
Walter 16
Wm. 14
Benjamin 12
Ernest 11
Alexander 10
Edwin 10
Fred 9
Jonathan 9
Patrick 9
Fredrick 8
Peter 8
Thos. 8
Tom 8
Amos 7
Daniel 7
Mark 7
Stephen 7
Abraham 6
Hugh 6
Isaac 6
Ralph 6
Andrew 5
Anthony 5
Christopher 5
Nicholas 5
Dennis 4
Geo. 4
Herbert 4
Lawrence 4

FAQ

Moor surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moor surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,231 people were recorded with the Moor surname. That placed it at #1,060 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moor surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,542 in 2016. That gives Moor a modern rank of #4,009.

What does the Moor surname mean?

A toponymic surname denoting someone who lived on a moor or in a fen.

What does the Moor map show?

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