NameCensus.

UK surname

Moorman

An English occupational surname referring to a person living or working on a moor or marsh.

In the 1881 census there were 322 people recorded with the Moorman surname, ranking it #9,262 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 359, ranked #12,898, down from #9,262 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Helen, London parishes and Newchurch. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Isle of Wight, Wealden and Swindon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moorman is 414 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 11.5%.

1881 census count

322

Ranked #9,262

Modern count

359

2016, ranked #12,898

Peak year

1911

414 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moorman had 322 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,262 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016, ranked #12,898.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 414 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Moorman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moorman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moorman 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 196 #10,573
1861 historical 189 #12,570
1881 historical 322 #9,262
1891 historical 360 #9,614
1901 historical 396 #9,539
1911 historical 414 #9,062
1997 modern 368 #11,719
1998 modern 380 #11,827
1999 modern 397 #11,503
2000 modern 393 #11,540
2001 modern 385 #11,534
2002 modern 382 #11,839
2003 modern 369 #11,941
2004 modern 368 #12,001
2005 modern 365 #11,985
2006 modern 375 #11,796
2007 modern 368 #12,125
2008 modern 369 #12,210
2009 modern 377 #12,269
2010 modern 383 #12,394
2011 modern 379 #12,343
2012 modern 367 #12,499
2013 modern 366 #12,733
2014 modern 363 #12,908
2015 modern 362 #12,825
2016 modern 359 #12,898

Geography

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Where Moormans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Helen, London parishes, Newchurch and Brading. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Isle of Wight, Wealden, Swindon and East Cambridgeshire. 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 St Helen Hampshire
2 London parishes London 1
3 Newchurch Hampshire
4 London parishes London 3
5 Brading Hampshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Isle of Wight 016 Isle of Wight
2 Wealden 002 Wealden
3 Swindon 012 Swindon
4 East Cambridgeshire 006 East Cambridgeshire
5 Isle of Wight 015 Isle of Wight

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moorman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moorman

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Moorman 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

Moorman 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

Moorman falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Moorman is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Moorman

The surname MOORMAN is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "mor" meaning "marsh" or "fen" and "mann" meaning "man." Essentially, the name referred to someone who lived or worked near a marsh or marshy area.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the late 12th century, where it appears as "Mooreman" and "Moreman." This suggests that the name was initially concentrated in the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire, where marshlands were prevalent.

During the 13th century, the name began appearing in various forms, including "Morman," "Murman," and "Mureman," reflecting regional variations in pronunciation and spelling. One notable example is John Morman, a landowner from Lancashire mentioned in the Cheshire Assize Rolls of 1286.

By the 14th century, the spelling had largely settled on "Moorman," as evidenced by records such as the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1332, which mention a Richard Moorman from Yorkshire. During this period, the name also began to spread beyond its northern English stronghold, with references to individuals bearing the name in other parts of the country.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in its modern spelling can be found in the Register of the Freemen of York, which lists a William Moorman as a citizen of York in 1448.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname MOORMAN. One of the most prominent was Sir Robert Moorman (c.1535-1603), a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1593. Another was John Moorman (1622-1684), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on theological topics.

In the 18th century, John Moorman (1711-1795) was a successful industrialist and ironmaster from Yorkshire, while in the 19th century, John Moorman (1793-1846) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

More recently, John Richard Humpidge Moorman (1905-1989) was a renowned English church historian and bishop who served as the Bishop of Ripon from 1956 to 1975.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moorman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moorman 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. Hampshire leads with 110 Moormans recorded in 1881 and an index of 16.52x.

County Total Index
Hampshire 110 16.52x
Gloucestershire 43 6.75x
Middlesex 42 1.29x
Somerset 28 5.36x
Devon 20 2.96x
Yorkshire 14 0.43x
Channel Islands 11 11.43x
Staffordshire 11 1.00x
Sussex 9 1.64x
Dorset 7 3.28x
Surrey 6 0.38x
Worcestershire 6 1.41x
Cornwall 5 1.36x
Essex 4 0.62x
Kent 4 0.36x
Lincolnshire 4 0.77x
Lancashire 2 0.05x
West Lothian 2 4.09x
Wiltshire 2 0.70x
Berkshire 1 0.41x
Cumberland 1 0.36x
Midlothian 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Helens in Hampshire leads with 40 Moormans recorded in 1881 and an index of 826.45x.

Place Total Index
St Helens 40 826.45x
Brading 16 180.79x
St George Hanover 14 33.02x
Brampton Bierlow 12 291.26x
Carisbrooke 12 129.87x
Cheltenham 12 24.42x
Shanklin 12 606.06x
Leckhampton 11 279.90x
West Bromwich 11 17.52x
Ventnor 9 142.18x
Islington London 8 2.54x
Plympton St Mary 8 204.60x
Rodmarton 8 1904.76x
Northleach 7 744.68x
Kings Norton 6 15.77x
Minehead 6 304.57x
Newchurch 6 397.35x
St Peter Port 6 33.69x
Chale 5 657.89x
Cirencester 5 57.94x
Kingston On Thames 5 13.15x
Lindfield 5 216.45x
Netherbury 5 284.09x
St Helier 5 15.95x
Twerton 5 92.76x
Dunster 4 320.00x
Harrowby Grantham 4 1081.08x
Lyncombe Widcombe 4 29.22x
Ryde 4 27.97x
St Clement Danes 4 76.05x
Stoke Damerel 4 8.45x
Hampton London 3 56.18x
Luccombe 3 731.71x
Minster In Sheppey 3 16.34x
Paddington London 3 2.51x
St Martin In Fields 3 15.42x
West Ham 3 2.12x
Winchelsea St Thomas 3 441.18x
Bridport 2 45.56x
Dalmeny 2 106.95x
Exeter St Mary Major 2 49.02x
Littleham 2 40.49x
Niton 2 224.72x
Pendleton In Salford 2 4.36x
Plymouth St Andrew 2 3.84x
Portsea 2 1.53x
Rame 2 210.53x
St Marylebone London 2 1.15x
Williton 2 114.29x
Battersea 1 0.84x
Bedminster 1 2.04x
Bow London 1 2.42x
Brighton 1 0.91x
Carhampton 1 138.89x
Chelsea London 1 1.02x
Cricklade St Sampson 1 74.63x
Gate Fulford 1 13.30x
Great Torrington 1 26.11x
Harwick St Nicholas 1 99.01x
Holdenhurst 1 5.73x
Kensington London 1 0.55x
Keynsham 1 26.67x
Lee 1 6.22x
Maker 1 29.41x
Mawgan In Pyder 1 126.58x
Newport 1 27.70x
Northam 1 20.28x
Norwood 1 13.46x
Preston Quarter 1 12.76x
Queensferry 1 227.27x
Rawmarsh 1 8.80x
Reading St Mary 1 5.12x
Rodbourne Cheney 1 45.05x
St Columb Major 1 32.79x
Westminster St 1 8.35x
Westonsuper Mare 1 93.46x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Jane 12
Elizabeth 8
Emma 8
Sarah 8
Alice 7
Eliza 7
Annie 5
Emily 5
Rose 5
Ada 4
Ellen 4
Martha 4
Ann 3
Catherine 3
Amelia 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Clara 2
Esther 2
Ethel 2
Fanny 2
Gertrude 2
Hannah 2
Harriett 2
Hilda 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Margaret 2
Maria 2
Sophia 2
Susan 2
Anne 1
Bella 1
Betsy 1
Blanch 1
Elizth. 1
Elizth.A. 1
Elsie 1
Etta 1
Helen 1
June 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Kirah 1
Lillian 1
Lilly 1
Lily 1
Lucy 1
Zepariah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
George 15
James 15
Charles 11
Henry 11
John 7
Edward 5
Frederick 5
Robert 5
Albert 4
Richard 4
Thomas 4
Alfred 3
Arthur 3
Edwin 3
Francis 3
Frank 3
Jacob 3
Walter 3
Daniel 2
Fredrick 2
Harry 2
Mark 2
Amos 1
David 1
E.J. 1
Earnest 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Fred 1
Geo. 1
Hubart 1
Joseph 1
Lambert 1
Lewis 1
Oliver 1
Percy 1
Samuel 1
Sydney 1
Willm. 1
Willy 1

FAQ

Moorman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moorman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 322 people were recorded with the Moorman surname. That placed it at #9,262 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moorman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 359 in 2016. That gives Moorman a modern rank of #12,898.

What does the Moorman surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a person living or working on a moor or marsh.

What does the Moorman map show?

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