UK surname
A surname of German origin potentially derived from the word "moss" or "mossy place".
In the 1881 census there were 52 people recorded with the Mosse surname, ranking it #26,281 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 67, ranked #33,884, down from #26,281 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Fareham, St Mary and Brampton (including Midgeholme) and Lanercost. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mosse is 119 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 28.8%.
1881 census count
52
Ranked #26,281
Modern count
67
2016, ranked #33,884
Peak year
1891
119 bearers
Map years
2
1861 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mosse surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mosse surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 29 | #28,082 |
| 1861 | historical | 103 | #20,650 |
| 1881 | historical | 52 | #26,281 |
| 1891 | historical | 119 | #21,415 |
| 1901 | historical | 61 | #27,379 |
| 1911 | historical | 67 | #26,152 |
| 1997 | modern | 77 | #29,874 |
| 1998 | modern | 74 | #30,562 |
| 1999 | modern | 72 | #30,955 |
| 2000 | modern | 74 | #30,785 |
| 2001 | modern | 74 | #30,600 |
| 2002 | modern | 75 | #30,950 |
| 2003 | modern | 66 | #31,879 |
| 2004 | modern | 66 | #32,079 |
| 2005 | modern | 62 | #32,708 |
| 2006 | modern | 66 | #32,629 |
| 2007 | modern | 66 | #32,948 |
| 2008 | modern | 65 | #33,303 |
| 2009 | modern | 62 | #33,832 |
| 2010 | modern | 66 | #33,791 |
| 2011 | modern | 71 | #33,392 |
| 2012 | modern | 69 | #33,695 |
| 2013 | modern | 67 | #33,939 |
| 2014 | modern | 69 | #33,833 |
| 2015 | modern | 68 | #33,854 |
| 2016 | modern | 67 | #33,884 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Fareham, St Mary, Brampton (including Midgeholme) and Lanercost, Kingston-on-Thames and London parishes. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fareham | Hampshire |
| 2 | St Mary | Pembrokeshire |
| 3 | Brampton (including Midgeholme) and Lanercost | Cumberland |
| 4 | Kingston-on-Thames | Surrey |
| 5 | London parishes | London 3 |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mosse surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mosse, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mosse surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mosse household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mosse is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mosse is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mosse, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Mosse is believed to have originated in Germany during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old German word "mos," which means "moss" or "peat bog." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near or worked in a mossy or boggy area.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Mosse can be found in various German records and manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries. In these documents, the name appears with various spellings, such as "Mosse," "Mosser," and "Moschen."
One notable historical figure with the surname Mosse was Johannes Mosse, a German scholar and humanist who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1490). He was renowned for his contributions to the study of classical literature and his translations of ancient Greek and Roman texts.
Another significant individual with this surname was Friedrich Mosse, a German-Jewish publisher and philanthropist who lived from 1828 to 1920. He founded the Mosse Publishing House, which became one of the largest publishing companies in Germany during the 19th century.
In the 16th century, the name Mosse appeared in several German municipal records, often associated with occupations related to peat or moss harvesting. One such example is Hanns Mosse, a peat cutter from the town of Nuremberg, who was mentioned in local records from 1567.
The surname Mosse has also been linked to certain place names in Germany, such as Mosbach and Mosheim. These locations likely derived their names from the German words "mos" or "mose," referring to their proximity to mossy or boggy areas.
Another noteworthy figure with the surname Mosse was Rudolf Mosse, a German-Jewish publisher and philanthropist who lived from 1843 to 1920. He was the founder of the Mosse Publishing Company, which published several influential German newspapers and magazines in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
In the 18th century, the Mosse family established themselves as prominent merchants and bankers in the city of Berlin. One member of this family, Isaac Daniel Mosse (1730-1799), was a successful banker and philanthropist who played a significant role in the Jewish community of Berlin.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mosse surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 16 Mosses recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.10x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 16 | 3.10x |
| Kent | 10 | 5.67x |
| Sussex | 6 | 6.89x |
| Surrey | 5 | 1.99x |
| Devon | 4 | 3.72x |
| Derbyshire | 3 | 3.71x |
| Essex | 2 | 1.96x |
| Caernarfonshire | 1 | 4.78x |
| Lancashire | 1 | 0.16x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 1.26x |
| Oxfordshire | 1 | 3.13x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 16.23x |
| Somerset | 1 | 1.20x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.20x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Patcham in Sussex leads with 5 Mosses recorded in 1881 and an index of 3125.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Patcham | 5 | 3125.00x |
| St Pancras London | 5 | 12.02x |
| Croydon | 4 | 28.61x |
| Ealing | 4 | 86.58x |
| Fremington | 4 | 1818.18x |
| Kensington London | 4 | 13.92x |
| Lewisham | 4 | 42.55x |
| Heage | 3 | 697.67x |
| Hougham | 3 | 285.71x |
| East Cliffe | 2 | 4000.00x |
| Bampton | 1 | 400.00x |
| Bangor | 1 | 49.51x |
| Eastbourne | 1 | 24.94x |
| Fulham London | 1 | 13.35x |
| Gravesend | 1 | 67.11x |
| Hampstead London | 1 | 12.42x |
| Lancaster | 1 | 27.40x |
| Leyton Low | 1 | 48.31x |
| Manningham | 1 | 15.85x |
| Minehead | 1 | 322.58x |
| Putney | 1 | 42.37x |
| Royal Navy | 1 | 19.01x |
| West Ham | 1 | 4.44x |
| Westminster St | 1 | 52.36x |
| Wymondham | 1 | 123.46x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mosse surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mosse surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mosse households.
FAQ
In 1881, 52 people were recorded with the Mosse surname. That placed it at #26,281 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 67 in 2016. That gives Mosse a modern rank of #33,884.
A surname of German origin potentially derived from the word "moss" or "mossy place".
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mosse bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.