NameCensus.

UK surname

Moorhead

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near the head or source of a moor or marshland.

In the 1881 census there were 249 people recorded with the Moorhead surname, ranking it #11,103 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 704, ranked #7,672, up from #11,103 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Toxteth Park, Ryton and Newcastle All Saints. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Knowsley, Carlisle and South Lakeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moorhead is 736 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 182.7%.

1881 census count

249

Ranked #11,103

Modern count

704

2016, ranked #7,672

Peak year

2010

736 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moorhead had 249 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,103 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 704 in 2016, ranked #7,672.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 343 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Moorhead surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moorhead surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moorhead 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 166 #11,986
1861 historical 219 #11,124
1881 historical 249 #11,103
1891 historical 280 #11,665
1901 historical 343 #10,583
1911 historical 305 #11,307
1997 modern 673 #7,465
1998 modern 713 #7,369
1999 modern 716 #7,396
2000 modern 709 #7,420
2001 modern 697 #7,389
2002 modern 711 #7,419
2003 modern 665 #7,693
2004 modern 679 #7,588
2005 modern 663 #7,671
2006 modern 638 #7,917
2007 modern 663 #7,754
2008 modern 665 #7,777
2009 modern 721 #7,460
2010 modern 736 #7,479
2011 modern 714 #7,581
2012 modern 701 #7,601
2013 modern 702 #7,705
2014 modern 713 #7,662
2015 modern 697 #7,736
2016 modern 704 #7,672

Geography

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Where Moorheads are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Toxteth Park, Ryton, Newcastle All Saints, Middlesborough and Long Benton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Knowsley, Carlisle and South Lakeland. 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 Toxteth Park Lancashire
2 Ryton Durham
3 Newcastle All Saints Northumberland
4 Middlesborough Durham
5 Long Benton Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Knowsley 020 Knowsley
2 Carlisle 011 Carlisle
3 South Lakeland 001 South Lakeland
4 Carlisle 009 Carlisle
5 Carlisle 010 Carlisle

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moorhead

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moorhead

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Moorhead, 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 Moorhead surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Moorhead 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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Moorhead 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

Moorhead 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

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

Meaning and origin of Moorhead

The surname Moorhead has its roots in Scotland, originating from a combination of the Scots words "muir" meaning "moor" or "moorland" and "heid" meaning "head" or "elevated land". This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near or on a moorland or elevated area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 16th century in the Scottish Lowlands. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Moorhead, who was mentioned in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1585.

Throughout history, the name has been spelled in various ways, including Muirhead, Moorheid, and Mooreheed, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling variations of the time. The name is also closely related to the place name Muirhead, a small village in East Ayrshire, Scotland.

In the 17th century, the name appeared in the records of the Scottish Parliament, with Robert Moorhead serving as a commissioner for Renfrewshire in 1661. Another notable bearer of the name was James Moorhead (1664-1734), a Scottish minister and author who wrote on theological topics.

As the Moorhead family spread throughout Scotland and beyond, the name gained prominence in other parts of the British Isles and North America. John Moorhead (1766-1834) was an Irish-born American Presbyterian minister and educator who served as the first president of Washington College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in Pennsylvania.

Another significant figure was James Moorhead (1810-1884), an American politician and lawyer who served as a United States Representative from Pennsylvania from 1859 to 1867. He played a crucial role in the development of the Union Pacific Railroad during the Civil War era.

In the literary world, John Moorhead (1914-1991) was a renowned Scottish poet and author, known for works such as "The Severnaikers" and "The Snar Road Fell." His contributions to Scottish literature and the preservation of the Scots language were widely acclaimed.

While these are just a few examples, the surname Moorhead has a rich history spanning centuries, with bearers of the name making significant contributions in various fields across multiple countries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moorhead families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moorhead 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. Northumberland leads with 43 Moorheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.85x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 43 11.85x
Durham 39 5.38x
Lancashire 32 1.11x
Yorkshire 30 1.24x
Cumberland 26 12.38x
Renfrewshire 13 6.88x
Middlesex 11 0.45x
Kent 9 1.08x
Lanarkshire 9 1.14x
Surrey 7 0.59x
Midlothian 6 1.84x
Hampshire 5 1.00x
Flintshire 3 4.58x
Somerset 3 0.76x
Cardiganshire 2 3.36x
Dorset 2 1.25x
Leicestershire 2 0.74x
Lincolnshire 2 0.51x
Angus 1 0.44x
Devon 1 0.20x
Essex 1 0.21x
Gloucestershire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 3.44x
Warwickshire 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Caldewgate in Cumberland leads with 17 Moorheads recorded in 1881 and an index of 147.83x.

Place Total Index
Caldewgate 17 147.83x
Ryton 13 509.80x
Benwell 11 277.08x
Ormesby 9 138.67x
Toxteth Park 9 9.19x
Billingham 8 640.00x
Bishopwearmouth 8 12.85x
Thornaby 8 88.59x
Abbey 7 24.28x
Longbenton 7 45.54x
Plumstead 7 25.24x
Ponteland 7 1891.89x
Newcastle On Tyne St 6 31.90x
Paddington London 6 6.69x
West Greenock 6 17.69x
Gateshead 5 9.20x
Allhallows 4 645.16x
Cambuslang 4 50.31x
Great Crosby 4 50.70x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 4 12.73x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 4 18.46x
Newington 4 4.44x
Royton 4 45.20x
Aldershot 3 17.92x
Chelsea London 3 4.08x
Edinburgh New North 3 105.63x
Hartley 3 309.28x
Hayton 3 252.10x
Manchester 3 2.31x
Skelmanthorpe 3 114.94x
Taunton St James 3 52.45x
Barony 2 1.00x
Bowling 2 8.36x
Bramley In Bramley 2 21.62x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 4.35x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 2 1.52x
Glasgow 2 1.43x
Harpurhey 2 49.75x
Holy Trinity 2 3.44x
Holywell 2 24.30x
Huddersfield 2 5.68x
Leicester All Sts 2 37.66x
Llanfihangel Y Croyddyn 2 95.69x
Melcombe Regis 2 30.17x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 2 41.93x
North Meols 2 7.06x
St George Hanover 2 6.28x
Wandsworth 2 8.52x
Barking 1 7.10x
Birmingham 1 0.49x
Bristol St Mary Redcliff 1 22.94x
Cheetham 1 4.63x
Croydon 1 1.52x
Dearham 1 36.10x
Edinburgh St Andrews 1 37.04x
Elswick 1 3.45x
Fareham 1 16.64x
Flint 1 26.88x
Govan 1 0.51x
Hexham 1 17.79x
Hulme 1 1.66x
Kirkdale 1 2.05x
Lancaster 1 5.81x
Lee 1 8.28x
Low Ireby 1 384.62x
Middlesbrough 1 3.18x
Montrose 1 7.30x
Royal Navy 1 4.03x
Spennithorne 1 588.24x
St Budeaux 1 63.29x
St Maryle Wigford 1 33.00x
Stoke 1 208.33x
Stranton 1 4.10x
Warblington 1 50.51x
Whittingham 1 78.74x
Widnes 1 4.79x
Winterton 1 74.63x
Wylam 1 125.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 28
Catherine 8
Elizabeth 6
Jane 6
Isabella 5
Sarah 5
Martha 4
Eliza 3
Janet 3
Margaret 3
Alice 2
Ann 2
Anne 2
Annie 2
Christiana 2
Dorothy 2
Ellen 2
Grace 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Kate 2
Anna 1
Betsy 1
Betty 1
Bridget 1
Clara 1
Emma 1
Evelina 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Henrietta 1
Jemima 1
Jessie 1
Lucy 1
Margery 1
Margret 1
Maria 1
Marianne 1
Marie 1
Phillis 1
Susanah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 20
William 15
James 11
Thomas 11
Robert 6
George 4
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Richard 3
Alexander 2
Charles 2
Henry 2
Lewis 2
Michael 2
Robt. 2
Andrew 1
Archibald 1
Ben 1
Chambers 1
Daniel 1
Darwin 1
David 1
Ernest 1
Herbert 1
Jas. 1
Matthew 1
Peter 1
R. 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Moorhead surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moorhead surname in 1881?

In 1881, 249 people were recorded with the Moorhead surname. That placed it at #11,103 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moorhead surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 704 in 2016. That gives Moorhead a modern rank of #7,672.

What does the Moorhead surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near the head or source of a moor or marshland.

What does the Moorhead map show?

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