NameCensus.

UK surname

Mossman

An occupational surname referring to someone who gathered moss or lived near a place where moss grew.

In the 1881 census there were 542 people recorded with the Mossman surname, ranking it #6,362 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 672, ranked #7,966, down from #6,362 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Gateshead and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland, Flintshire and Berwickshire East.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mossman is 714 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.0%.

1881 census count

542

Ranked #6,362

Modern count

672

2016, ranked #7,966

Peak year

1901

714 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mossman had 542 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #6,362 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 672 in 2016, ranked #7,966.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 714 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Mossman surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mossman surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mossman 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 398 #6,057
1861 historical 355 #7,198
1881 historical 542 #6,362
1891 historical 563 #6,744
1901 historical 714 #6,181
1911 historical 581 #7,005
1997 modern 658 #7,596
1998 modern 681 #7,638
1999 modern 685 #7,639
2000 modern 652 #7,916
2001 modern 646 #7,837
2002 modern 674 #7,736
2003 modern 647 #7,852
2004 modern 633 #7,994
2005 modern 636 #7,906
2006 modern 623 #8,061
2007 modern 621 #8,140
2008 modern 628 #8,121
2009 modern 641 #8,158
2010 modern 683 #7,933
2011 modern 647 #8,183
2012 modern 645 #8,120
2013 modern 661 #8,105
2014 modern 669 #8,069
2015 modern 679 #7,904
2016 modern 672 #7,966

Geography

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Where Mossmans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Gateshead, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Giles Camberwell. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland, Flintshire, Berwickshire East, County Durham and Sefton. 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 London parishes London 3
2 Gateshead Durham
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 St Giles Camberwell London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 006 Northumberland
2 Flintshire 004 Flintshire
3 Berwickshire East Scottish Borders
4 County Durham 017 County Durham
5 Sefton 029 Sefton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mossman

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mossman

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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mossman is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mossman is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Mossman

The surname Mossman originated in Scotland, deriving from a Scottish Gaelic word "mos" which means "moss" or "mossy place." This suggests that the name likely first arose as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a mossy or swampy area. It may have also been an occupational surname for someone who gathered moss or peat from mossy bogs.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Mossman is found in the records of Roxburghshire, Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. The name appeared in various spellings such as Mossman, Moseman, and Mosman, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time.

In the 17th century, the Mossman name appears in parish records in Ayrshire, Scotland. A notable example is John Mossman, born around 1620 in Kilwinning, Ayrshire. He was a farmer and landowner, and his descendants continued to use the Mossman surname in that region for generations.

The Mossman surname also has connections to place names in Scotland. For instance, the village of Mossman in East Ayrshire likely derived its name from the same root word, indicating the presence of mossy or boggy terrain in that area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mossman surname outside of Scotland is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners and their holdings in England after the Norman Conquest. A landowner named Hugo Mosman is listed as holding lands in Oxfordshire.

In the 18th century, a prominent figure bearing the Mossman surname was James Mossman (1737-1824), a Scottish poet and minister from Arbroath, Angus. His works include "The Auld Toon o' Arbroath" and "The Cottar's Sunday," which provide insights into Scottish rural life and culture of that era.

Another notable Mossman was Thomas Mossman (1826-1885), a Scottish-born architect who emigrated to Australia. He designed several significant buildings in Melbourne, including the Fitzroy Town Hall and the former Melbourne Orphan Asylum.

In the 19th century, James Mossman (1820-1888) was a Scottish-born businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the tea trade in London. He founded the Mossman Trust, which provided funding for educational and charitable causes in Scotland.

While the Mossman surname is most prevalent in Scotland and areas with Scottish immigration, it can also be found in other parts of the world. For example, Richard Mossman (1849-1919) was an American physician and writer from Wisconsin, known for his work in promoting public health and hygiene.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mossman families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mossman 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. Midlothian leads with 72 Mossmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.26x.

County Total Index
Midlothian 72 10.26x
Lancashire 59 0.95x
Northumberland 57 7.31x
Middlesex 53 1.01x
Bedfordshire 48 17.70x
Yorkshire 37 0.71x
Lanarkshire 30 1.77x
Surrey 30 1.18x
Durham 24 1.54x
Kent 22 1.23x
Berwickshire 13 20.50x
Berkshire 7 1.78x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.89x
East Lothian 6 8.65x
Essex 6 0.58x
Fife 6 1.93x
Hertfordshire 6 1.66x
West Lothian 6 7.61x
Dunbartonshire 5 3.55x
Lincolnshire 5 0.60x
Peeblesshire 5 20.29x
Renfrewshire 5 1.23x
Roxburghshire 5 5.27x
Angus 4 0.82x
Somerset 4 0.47x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 3.96x
Cumberland 2 0.44x
Derbyshire 2 0.24x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.28x
Stirlingshire 2 1.04x
Denbighshire 1 0.51x
Hampshire 1 0.09x
Oxfordshire 1 0.31x
Sussex 1 0.11x
Warwickshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Edinburgh St Cuthberts in Midlothian leads with 41 Mossmans recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.52x.

Place Total Index
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 41 14.52x
Camberwell 15 4.48x
Chicksands Priory 13 16250.00x
Govan 13 3.10x
North Leith 13 40.04x
Burnley 12 22.92x
Everton 12 6.06x
Battlesden 11 5500.00x
Gateshead 11 9.43x
Westgate 11 22.79x
Limehouse London 10 17.39x
St George Hanover 10 14.63x
Bermondsey 9 5.77x
Toxteth Park 9 4.28x
York St Mary 9 41.86x
Elswick 8 12.86x
Glasgow 8 2.66x
Lee 8 30.83x
Preston 8 4.81x
Bromley London 7 6.07x
Calverley Cum Farsley 7 47.49x
Henlow 7 419.16x
Lowick 7 258.30x
Skircoat 7 34.20x
Westruther 7 578.51x
Byker 6 15.57x
Ellington 6 1500.00x
Gillingham 6 16.28x
Hackney London 6 2.04x
Manningham 6 9.38x
South Leith 6 7.60x
Toddington 6 154.24x
Walthamstow 6 16.12x
Winkfield 6 91.88x
Amble 5 140.85x
Barony 5 1.17x
Bradford 5 3.98x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 5 30.12x
Haddington 5 48.83x
Iver 5 122.55x
Leuchars 5 127.55x
Newlands 5 340.14x
Poplar London 5 5.06x
Shincliffe 5 287.36x
Stretford 5 14.62x
Tynemouth 5 11.98x
Berwick Upon Tweed 4 24.23x
Bonhill 4 17.70x
Clophill 4 201.01x
Coleby 4 512.82x
East Barnet 4 55.87x
Kirkdale 4 3.83x
Liverpool 4 1.06x
Shoreditch London 4 1.76x
St Decumans Watchet 4 187.79x
Stranton 4 7.62x
Walton On Hill 4 11.88x
West Greenock 4 5.49x
West Hartford 4 2857.14x
Wilton 4 38.42x
Coldstream 3 65.36x
Hampstead London 3 3.68x
Lambeth 3 0.66x
Linlithgow 3 29.64x
Luton 3 6.39x
Milton In Milton 3 39.47x
Old Monkland 3 4.46x
Uphall 3 34.56x
Chelsea London 2 1.27x
Coldingham 2 35.09x
Crichton 2 102.04x
Darlington 2 3.32x
Derby St Peter 2 7.66x
Dundee 2 1.10x
Kirkmabreck 2 60.24x
Leighton Buzzard 2 17.14x
Maulden 2 85.11x
Montrose 2 6.80x
Newark Upon Trent 2 7.88x
St George In East 2 5.61x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 18
Sarah 14
Jane 12
Margaret 9
Isabella 8
Alice 7
Eliza 6
Annie 5
Emily 5
Ann 4
Catherine 4
Edith 4
Eleanor 4
Ellen 4
Emma 4
Florence 4
Maria 4
Amy 3
Louisa 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Eliz. 2
Frances 2
Hannah 2
Harriet 2
Janet 2
Jessie 2
Kate 2
Lucy 2
Lydia 2
Charlotte 1
Christian 1
Clara 1
Dora 1
Dorothy 1
Ethel 1
Ethma 1
Fanny 1
Florance 1
Francess 1
Francis 1
Joanna 1
Josephine 1
Julia 1
Lillie 1
M.M. 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
George 16
James 16
William 16
Robert 14
Thomas 14
John 13
Alexander 6
Charles 6
Arthur 4
Alfred 3
David 3
Matthew 3
Samuel 3
Emmanuel 2
Frank 2
Frederick 2
Fredrick 2
Harold 2
Henry 2
Percy 2
Ralph 2
Sidney 2
Alexr. 1
Allik 1
Chas.Fredk. 1
Clarence 1
Conway 1
Cyril 1
Ebenezer 1
Edward 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Geoffrey 1
Gerald 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Jesse 1
Joseph 1
Josh. 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Rubin 1
Sam.M. 1
Saml.T. 1
Stephen 1
Theophlis 1
Thos.J. 1

FAQ

Mossman surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mossman surname in 1881?

In 1881, 542 people were recorded with the Mossman surname. That placed it at #6,362 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mossman surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 672 in 2016. That gives Mossman a modern rank of #7,966.

What does the Mossman surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who gathered moss or lived near a place where moss grew.

What does the Mossman map show?

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