NameCensus.

UK surname

Moule

A surname derived from the French word for "mussel", likely occupational for someone who harvested or sold mussels.

In the 1881 census there were 1,034 people recorded with the Moule surname, ranking it #3,801 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,639, ranked #3,799, up from #3,801 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Ombersley and Kidderminster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Hertfordshire, Wychavon and Wyre Forest.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moule is 1,819 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 58.5%.

1881 census count

1,034

Ranked #3,801

Modern count

1,639

2016, ranked #3,799

Peak year

1998

1,819 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moule had 1,034 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,801 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,639 in 2016, ranked #3,799.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,633 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Moule surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moule surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Moule 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 577 #4,415
1861 historical 613 #4,341
1881 historical 1,034 #3,801
1891 historical 1,183 #3,622
1901 historical 1,418 #3,571
1911 historical 1,633 #2,977
1997 modern 1,757 #3,405
1998 modern 1,819 #3,421
1999 modern 1,799 #3,477
2000 modern 1,773 #3,505
2001 modern 1,718 #3,541
2002 modern 1,742 #3,580
2003 modern 1,710 #3,563
2004 modern 1,692 #3,596
2005 modern 1,620 #3,697
2006 modern 1,625 #3,697
2007 modern 1,610 #3,747
2008 modern 1,626 #3,741
2009 modern 1,650 #3,781
2010 modern 1,664 #3,832
2011 modern 1,674 #3,767
2012 modern 1,632 #3,774
2013 modern 1,640 #3,832
2014 modern 1,651 #3,828
2015 modern 1,645 #3,794
2016 modern 1,639 #3,799

Geography

Back to top

Where Moules are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Ombersley, Kidderminster and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Hertfordshire, Wychavon, Wyre Forest and North Devon. 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 Ombersley Worcestershire
3 Kidderminster Worcestershire
4 Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars Leicestershire
5 London parishes London 2

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Hertfordshire 001 East Hertfordshire
2 Wychavon 001 Wychavon
3 Wyre Forest 002 Wyre Forest
4 Wyre Forest 011 Wyre Forest
5 North Devon 013 North Devon

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Moule

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Moule

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

Rural Amenity

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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, Moule 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

Moule is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Moule falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Moule 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 Moule, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Moule

The surname MOULE has its origins in France, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "moule," which means "mussel" or "shell," and was likely used as a nickname for someone who collected or sold mussels.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various records and manuscripts across northern France, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Brittany. Some early spellings of the name included "Mole," "Molle," and "Moulle."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named "Moule" in the county of Somerset, England. This suggests that the name may have been introduced to England by Norman settlers following the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was Jean Moule, a French nobleman and military commander who fought in the Hundred Years' War against the English. He was born around 1320 and died in 1382.

During the 16th century, the name became more widespread in England, particularly in the counties of Devon and Cornwall. One prominent figure with this surname was John Moule (1515-1590), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Exeter.

In the 17th century, the name appears in various parish records and historical documents, including the works of English writer and antiquarian John Aubrey (1626-1697), who mentions a family named Moule in his book "The Natural History of Wiltshire."

Another notable bearer of the name was George Moule (1628-1680), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of lunar eclipses.

In the 18th century, the name was well-established in England, and there are records of several individuals named Moule who achieved prominence in various fields. One such individual was Thomas Moule (1784-1851), an English topographer and author who published several works on the history and antiquities of various counties in England.

As the name spread across different parts of the world, it underwent various spelling variations, such as "Moul," "Mowle," and "Mowll." Despite these variations, the name's association with its French origins and the original meaning of "mussel" or "shell" remained intact.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Moule families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moule 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. Worcestershire leads with 202 Moules recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.31x.

County Total Index
Worcestershire 202 15.31x
Devon 130 6.18x
Essex 116 5.81x
Cambridgeshire 105 16.40x
Middlesex 100 0.99x
Surrey 55 1.12x
Staffordshire 44 1.29x
Kent 43 1.25x
Suffolk 38 3.09x
Gloucestershire 27 1.36x
Hertfordshire 26 3.73x
Yorkshire 21 0.21x
Huntingdonshire 19 9.47x
Leicestershire 18 1.61x
Glamorgan 14 0.80x
Somerset 13 0.80x
Hampshire 11 0.53x
Wiltshire 9 1.01x
Norfolk 8 0.51x
Berkshire 7 0.92x
Durham 7 0.23x
Dorset 6 0.90x
Warwickshire 5 0.20x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.33x
Cumberland 2 0.23x
Isle of Man 2 1.07x
Lancashire 2 0.02x
Sussex 2 0.12x
Oxfordshire 1 0.16x
Royal Navy 1 0.83x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kidderminster Borough in Worcestershire leads with 87 Moules recorded in 1881 and an index of 112.64x.

Place Total Index
Kidderminster Borough 87 112.64x
Saffron Walden 41 194.50x
Ombersley 33 448.98x
Wolverhampton 33 12.58x
Stoke Damerel 30 20.38x
Ilfracombe 24 110.80x
St Pancras London 22 2.70x
Lambeth 18 2.04x
Cottenham 17 199.77x
Plymouth Charles The 16 17.27x
Wimbish 16 544.22x
Willingham 15 2727.27x
Tillingham 14 397.73x
West Ham 14 3.18x
Chesterton 13 65.86x
Georgeham 12 454.55x
Highbray 12 1666.67x
St Andrewthe Less 12 16.41x
Lynton 11 261.90x
Fulbourn 10 163.40x
Kidderminster Foreign 10 53.59x
Mile End Old Town 10 6.27x
Ribbesford 10 91.07x
Wattisfield 10 598.80x
Camberwell 9 1.39x
Compton Gifford 9 136.57x
Edmonton 9 11.05x
Litlington 9 384.62x
Melksham 9 57.99x
Somersham 9 184.80x
Bristol St Paul In 8 15.15x
Erith 8 23.55x
Frampton Cotterell 8 114.94x
Leicester St Margaret 8 2.93x
Southwark St George Martyr 8 3.93x
St Martin In Fields 8 13.22x
Basingstoke 7 29.39x
Battersea 7 1.88x
Claines 7 19.33x
Coedfrank 7 57.42x
Crowle 7 382.51x
Leyton 7 20.37x
St George Bloomsbury 7 12.07x
St Giles Cambridge 7 84.64x
Whittington 7 542.64x
Yaxley 7 149.25x
Yeadon 7 30.96x
Bethnal Green London 6 1.37x
Castleford 6 16.45x
Chelsea London 6 1.97x
Elmley Lovett 6 500.00x
Exford 6 379.75x
Gateshead 6 2.67x
Great Witley 6 458.02x
Halstead 6 25.78x
Lewisham 6 3.26x
Newington 6 1.61x
St Clement Danes 6 36.67x
West Bromwich 6 3.07x
Whittlesford 6 204.08x
Wigston Magna 6 40.38x
Witham 6 58.42x
Barkway 5 182.48x
Croydon 5 1.83x
Croydon Cum Clapton 5 303.03x
Great Hormead 5 277.78x
Great Sampford 5 233.64x
Great Yarmouth 5 3.88x
Hinxton 5 420.17x
Islington London 5 0.51x
Lower Mitton 5 42.99x
Radipole 5 109.17x
Reading St Mary 5 8.23x
Redditch 5 18.68x
Shenstone 5 57.67x
Therfield 5 122.85x
Bardwell 4 152.67x
Chelmsford 4 11.69x
Cottered 4 305.34x
Haresfield 4 202.02x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 58
Elizabeth 41
Sarah 34
Emma 25
Alice 21
Charlotte 18
Eliza 16
Jane 16
Ann 15
Emily 13
Hannah 13
Louisa 13
Annie 11
Ellen 10
Harriet 10
Rebecca 10
Agnes 8
Maria 8
Ada 7
Fanny 7
Harriett 7
Kate 7
Martha 7
Anne 6
Julia 6
Margaret 6
Susan 6
Caroline 5
Edith 5
Elizth. 5
Amelia 4
Amy 4
Clara 4
Florence 4
Allice 3
Betsy 3
Grace 3
Lizzie 3
Lucy 3
Rose 3
Beatrice 2
Esther 2
Katie 2
Mabel 2
May 2
Phoebe 2
Sophia 2
Elizabet 1
Elizth 1
Victoria 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 69
John 65
George 38
Thomas 31
James 30
Charles 29
Joseph 19
Alfred 17
Arthur 17
Henry 16
Albert 13
Frederick 13
Robert 12
Samuel 9
Ernest 8
Richard 8
Walter 8
Fredrick 6
David 5
Edward 5
Frank 5
Harry 5
Fred 4
Benjamin 3
Edwin 3
Herbert 3
Philip 3
Wm. 3
Fredk. 2
Jonathan 2
Tom 2
Aleck 1
Allen 1
Athwell 1
Augustus 1
Barnabas 1
C.F. 1
E.H. 1
Ebenezer 1
Edwd. 1
Elija 1
Elijah 1
Ezekiel 1
Francis 1
Gerard 1
Handley 1
Horace 1
Isaac 1
Ishmitt 1
J.Francis 1

FAQ

Moule surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moule surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,034 people were recorded with the Moule surname. That placed it at #3,801 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moule surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,639 in 2016. That gives Moule a modern rank of #3,799.

What does the Moule surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word for "mussel", likely occupational for someone who harvested or sold mussels.

What does the Moule map show?

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