NameCensus.

UK surname

Moors

An English surname of locative origin, referring to someone from a marsh or moor.

In the 1881 census there were 745 people recorded with the Moors surname, ranking it #4,925 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 652, ranked #8,163, down from #4,925 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bebbington, Stockport and Astbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Poole, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Cheshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moors is 1,237 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.5%.

1881 census count

745

Ranked #4,925

Modern count

652

2016, ranked #8,163

Peak year

1861

1,237 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moors had 745 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,925 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 652 in 2016, ranked #8,163.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,237 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Moors surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moors surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moors 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 976 #2,860
1861 historical 1,237 #2,308
1881 historical 745 #4,925
1891 historical 973 #4,250
1901 historical 596 #7,109
1911 historical 647 #6,468
1997 modern 584 #8,299
1998 modern 663 #7,791
1999 modern 665 #7,807
2000 modern 636 #8,069
2001 modern 632 #7,946
2002 modern 667 #7,794
2003 modern 643 #7,885
2004 modern 652 #7,813
2005 modern 634 #7,932
2006 modern 623 #8,061
2007 modern 624 #8,106
2008 modern 650 #7,918
2009 modern 671 #7,891
2010 modern 673 #8,024
2011 modern 671 #7,954
2012 modern 658 #7,996
2013 modern 663 #8,082
2014 modern 674 #8,018
2015 modern 657 #8,121
2016 modern 652 #8,163

Geography

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Where Moors' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bebbington, Stockport, Astbury, Silton, Gillingham (Bourton ) and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Poole, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Cheshire East and North Dorset. 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 Bebbington Cheshire
2 Stockport Cheshire
3 Astbury Cheshire
4 Silton, Gillingham (Bourton ) Wiltshire
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Poole 015 Poole
2 Poole 012 Poole
3 Newcastle-under-Lyme 003 Newcastle-under-Lyme
4 Cheshire East 033 Cheshire East
5 North Dorset 007 North Dorset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moors

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moors

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

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Moors 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

Moors is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Moors

The surname MOORS is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "mor" meaning a marshland or a moor. It is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 8th or 9th century.

The name was likely initially used as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near or worked in a marshy area or a moor. It is also possible that the name was originally used as a locational surname, referring to someone who hailed from a place named after a moor.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with names containing the element "mor" or "more," suggesting the existence of the surname MOORS at that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MOORS is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, which mention a person named Willelmus de la More. Another early record is from the Curia Regis Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1212, which refers to a Hugo de la More.

Over the centuries, the surname MOORS has undergone various spelling variations, including More, Moore, Moor, and Moores, reflecting the inconsistencies in record-keeping and pronunciation at the time.

Notable individuals with the surname MOORS throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), an English philosopher, lawyer, and statesman who served as Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry VIII.

2. Henry More (1614-1687), an English philosopher and theologian, considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Cambridge Platonist movement.

3. Hannah More (1745-1833), an English religious writer and philanthropist who played a significant role in the abolition of slavery.

4. John Moore (1761-1809), a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

5. Thomas More Molyneux (1661-1733), an Irish lawyer, writer, and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the University of Cambridge.

These examples illustrate the long and diverse history of the surname MOORS, which has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including philosophers, writers, politicians, and military leaders.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moors families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moors 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. Cheshire leads with 226 Moors' recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.16x.

County Total Index
Cheshire 226 14.16x
Lancashire 162 1.89x
Dorset 78 16.44x
Middlesex 34 0.47x
Somerset 31 2.66x
Hampshire 30 2.02x
Yorkshire 24 0.34x
Oxfordshire 21 4.70x
Surrey 20 0.57x
Kent 15 0.61x
Buckinghamshire 12 2.75x
Flintshire 12 6.18x
Derbyshire 8 0.71x
Northamptonshire 8 1.18x
Lincolnshire 7 0.61x
Worcestershire 6 0.64x
Bedfordshire 5 1.34x
Anglesey 4 3.12x
Devon 4 0.27x
Leicestershire 4 0.50x
Shropshire 4 0.64x
Durham 3 0.14x
Monmouthshire 3 0.57x
Staffordshire 3 0.12x
Glamorgan 2 0.16x
Hertfordshire 2 0.40x
Suffolk 2 0.23x
Westmorland 2 1.26x
Wiltshire 2 0.31x
Essex 1 0.07x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.70x
Norfolk 1 0.09x
Northumberland 1 0.09x
Royal Navy 1 1.16x
Sussex 1 0.08x
Warwickshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hyde in Cheshire leads with 28 Moors' recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.47x.

Place Total Index
Hyde 28 59.47x
Manchester 25 6.48x
Congleton 20 72.54x
Marple 20 182.65x
Bourton 17 817.31x
Tranmere 16 27.29x
Birkenhead 15 11.79x
Ambrosden 14 790.96x
Chadderton 13 31.00x
Runcorn 13 35.34x
Blandford Forum 12 128.21x
Stayley 12 65.79x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 5.87x
Portsea 11 3.79x
Werneth 11 220.00x
Worsley 11 20.81x
Newton 10 15.13x
Oldham 10 3.61x
Salford 10 3.96x
Podimore Milton 9 3913.04x
Almsford 8 1095.89x
Charminster 8 212.20x
Culcheth 8 142.35x
Mold 8 45.40x
Romiley 8 177.78x
Sturminster 8 173.91x
West Coker 8 337.55x
Bagmore Burton By 7 897.44x
Buglawton 7 182.29x
Lambeth 7 1.11x
Newton In Ashton Under 7 44.47x
Newton In Makerfield 7 26.66x
Potterspury 7 257.35x
St Gilesin Fields 7 166.27x
St Marylebone London 7 1.81x
Tonge 7 38.89x
Winterborne Whitechurch 7 673.08x
Beswick 6 27.36x
Castleford 6 23.01x
Chickerell 6 295.57x
Kinderton Cum Hulme 6 447.76x
Lewknor Up Hill 6 1224.49x
Little Bolton 6 5.44x
Ribbesford 6 76.34x
South Stoneham 6 18.67x
Wombwell 6 28.72x
Alkrington 5 531.91x
Antrobus 5 458.72x
Bredbury 5 54.17x
Chislehurst 5 37.79x
Eltham 5 34.60x
Kingsley 5 168.35x
Macclesfield 5 7.05x
Mottram 5 69.16x
Sandbach 5 36.74x
Skelmersdale 5 34.99x
Southampton St Mary 5 5.37x
Stadhampton 5 543.48x
Bedford St Paul 4 15.58x
Bromley London 4 2.52x
Chester St Oswald 4 13.85x
Glossop Dale 4 7.55x
Great Missenden 4 74.35x
Hanmer Willington 4 506.33x
Haselbury Bryan 4 224.72x
Haughton 4 31.97x
Leicester St Margaret 4 2.05x
Llanrhyddlad 4 254.78x
Martons Both 4 689.66x
Monks Coppenhall 4 6.64x
Odd Rode 4 50.63x
Rawmarsh 4 15.81x
Witton Cum Twambrooks 4 28.17x
Aldershot 3 6.04x
Camberwell 3 0.65x
Denton 3 15.78x
Fordington 3 29.35x
Hambledon 3 60.00x
Heaton Norris 3 6.15x
Stockport 3 3.65x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 60
Elizabeth 40
Sarah 29
Ann 18
Jane 15
Alice 13
Hannah 11
Martha 11
Eliza 10
Annie 9
Emma 8
Ellen 7
Margaret 7
Maria 7
Clara 6
Fanny 6
Louisa 6
Charlotte 5
Agnes 4
Anne 4
Harriet 4
Minnie 4
Emily 3
Frances 3
Grace 3
Kate 3
Nanny 3
Beatrice 2
Francis 2
Gertrude 2
Hester 2
Lilly 2
Lydia 2
Mariah 2
Selina 2
Susanna 2
Betsy 1
Bridget 1
C.A. 1
Caria 1
Debrah 1
Edith 1
Eidth 1
Eleanor 1
Elizebeth 1
Elizth. 1
Ellin 1
Harriett 1
Hilda 1
Zilpah 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 51
William 44
George 41
Thomas 30
James 24
Joseph 18
Henry 12
Arthur 9
Frederick 9
Charles 8
Samuel 8
Edward 7
Robert 7
Alfred 6
Albert 5
Daniel 3
Harry 3
Sam 3
Thos. 3
Walter 3
Ambrose 2
David 2
Ernest 2
Francis 2
Fred 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Jacob 2
Mark 2
Matthies 2
Phillip 2
Ralph 2
Denis 1
Dennis 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Elizabeth 1
Ely 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fridrich 1
Ivan 1
Jas. 1
Jessie 1
Launcelot 1
Michael 1
Montague 1
Nathaniel 1
Percy 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Moors surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moors surname in 1881?

In 1881, 745 people were recorded with the Moors surname. That placed it at #4,925 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moors surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 652 in 2016. That gives Moors a modern rank of #8,163.

What does the Moors surname mean?

An English surname of locative origin, referring to someone from a marsh or moor.

What does the Moors map show?

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