NameCensus.

UK surname

Moxon

A habitational surname referring to someone from Moxon, a location in Yorkshire, England.

In the 1881 census there were 1,687 people recorded with the Moxon surname, ranking it #2,547 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,267, ranked #2,862, down from #2,547 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Silkstone, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, Barnsley and Rotherham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moxon is 2,387 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.4%.

1881 census count

1,687

Ranked #2,547

Modern count

2,267

2016, ranked #2,862

Peak year

1999

2,387 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moxon had 1,687 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,547 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,267 in 2016, ranked #2,862.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,248 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Moxon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moxon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moxon 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 677 #3,966
1881 historical 1,687 #2,547
1891 historical 1,490 #2,956
1901 historical 1,968 #2,692
1911 historical 2,248 #2,252
1997 modern 2,311 #2,691
1998 modern 2,363 #2,742
1999 modern 2,387 #2,733
2000 modern 2,316 #2,787
2001 modern 2,264 #2,791
2002 modern 2,302 #2,804
2003 modern 2,204 #2,860
2004 modern 2,188 #2,880
2005 modern 2,147 #2,889
2006 modern 2,175 #2,864
2007 modern 2,206 #2,858
2008 modern 2,228 #2,853
2009 modern 2,264 #2,877
2010 modern 2,318 #2,874
2011 modern 2,282 #2,875
2012 modern 2,287 #2,821
2013 modern 2,330 #2,826
2014 modern 2,340 #2,827
2015 modern 2,307 #2,830
2016 modern 2,267 #2,862

Geography

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Where Moxons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Silkstone, Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth, London parishes, Pontefract and Sheffield. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, Barnsley, Rotherham and Kingston upon Hull. 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 Silkstone Yorkshire, West Riding
2 Coveney, Manea, Mepal, Downham, Witcham, Witchford, Wentworth Cambridgeshire
3 London parishes London 3
4 Pontefract Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 015 Wakefield
2 Wakefield 034 Wakefield
3 Barnsley 029 Barnsley
4 Rotherham 007 Rotherham
5 Kingston upon Hull 001 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moxon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moxon

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Moxon is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Moxon is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Moxon

The surname Moxon originated in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the place name Moxon, which was a township in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The name is thought to have come from the Old English words "moxa" and "tun," meaning a settlement by a bog or marshy area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns of 1379, where a John de Moxon was listed. The name also appears in various other historical records, such as the Yorkshire Chantry Surveys of the 16th century, where a Richard Moxon was mentioned.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with this surname was Joseph Moxon (1627-1700), an English mathematician, printer, and hydrographer. He is best known for his work "Mechanick Exercises," which was a comprehensive guide to various trades and crafts.

Another prominent individual with this name was Edward Moxon (1801-1858), an English publisher and bookseller. He was known for publishing works by renowned authors such as William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and John Keats.

In the 19th century, Walter Moxon (1836-1886) was a notable English cricketer who played for Yorkshire and Oxford University. He was also a successful barrister and served as a Member of Parliament.

James Moxon (1808-1885) was an English printer and typographer who made significant contributions to the development of printing technology. He invented a new type of printing press and published several works on typography.

Thomas Moxon (1766-1857) was a British artist and engraver who was known for his landscape paintings and etchings. His works were exhibited at the Royal Academy and other prestigious galleries in London.

Overall, the surname Moxon has a long and rich history, with its roots dating back to medieval England and connections to various notable figures in fields such as mathematics, publishing, sports, and the arts.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moxon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moxon 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. Yorkshire leads with 956 Moxons recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.89x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 956 5.89x
Middlesex 134 0.82x
Cambridgeshire 120 11.57x
Lancashire 60 0.31x
Lincolnshire 43 1.64x
Surrey 43 0.54x
Warwickshire 36 0.87x
Kent 35 0.63x
Buckinghamshire 34 3.43x
Norfolk 27 1.07x
Derbyshire 23 0.90x
Essex 23 0.71x
Nottinghamshire 23 1.04x
Devon 17 0.50x
Leicestershire 16 0.88x
Staffordshire 16 0.29x
Hampshire 13 0.39x
Sussex 12 0.43x
Cheshire 10 0.28x
Midlothian 7 0.32x
Hertfordshire 6 0.53x
Berkshire 5 0.41x
Worcestershire 5 0.23x
Northamptonshire 4 0.26x
Durham 2 0.04x
Royal Navy 2 1.02x
Wiltshire 2 0.14x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.14x
Gloucestershire 1 0.03x
Somerset 1 0.04x
Suffolk 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. Downham in Cambridgeshire leads with 76 Moxons recorded in 1881 and an index of 689.66x.

Place Total Index
Downham 76 689.66x
Leeds 73 7.97x
Kimberworth 60 66.61x
Barnsley 40 23.89x
Pontefract 33 94.39x
Ecclesfield 32 26.89x
Headingley Cum Burley 28 26.80x
Huddersfield 27 11.42x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 27 35.81x
Nether Hallam 25 11.39x
Cawthorne In Wortley 23 351.15x
Ackworth 22 176.42x
Bradfield 22 35.16x
Kirkheaton 22 83.59x
Sheffield 22 4.26x
Lambeth 21 1.47x
Bethnal Green London 18 2.53x
Stewkley 18 238.73x
High Hoyland 16 1230.77x
Islington London 16 1.01x
Monk Bretton 16 97.38x
Wakefield 16 12.84x
Newington 15 2.48x
West Ham 15 2.10x
Birmingham 14 1.02x
Sculcoates 14 5.44x
Ardsley 13 69.52x
Doncaster 13 10.96x
Gainsborough 13 21.06x
Hoyland Nether 13 32.66x
St Marylebone London 13 1.49x
Brightside Bierlow 12 3.77x
Great Yarmouth 12 5.75x
Shoreditch London 12 1.69x
South Hiendley 12 585.37x
Barmbrough 11 185.19x
Eckington 11 17.66x
Rawmarsh 11 19.18x
Sandal Magna 11 45.83x
Thorne 11 54.64x
Wooldale 11 39.96x
Worksop 11 16.80x
Kexborough 10 287.36x
Otley 10 25.37x
Rotherham 10 10.93x
Bury 9 4.05x
Kirkby Mallory Earl 9 103.33x
Manningham 9 4.50x
Rugeley 9 22.69x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 8 5.29x
Bingley 8 7.74x
Bradford 8 2.04x
Helpringham 8 151.52x
Hornsey 8 3.86x
Meldreth 8 198.51x
Methley 8 35.01x
Morton In Gainsborough 8 155.34x
Stoke Newington London 8 6.27x
Wilburton 8 271.19x
Witham On Hill 8 733.95x
Badsworth 7 569.11x
Barwick In Elmet 7 56.32x
Batley 7 4.54x
Beswick 7 14.08x
Crigglestone 7 44.79x
Drighlington 7 29.61x
Hoggeston 7 714.29x
North Bierley 7 7.99x
Nottingham St Mary 7 1.23x
Preston 7 1.35x
Preston 7 14.52x
Shelley 7 73.76x
St Luke London 7 2.66x
Tanshelf 7 54.01x
Thurlaston 7 376.34x
Tinsley 7 123.24x
Welney 7 121.53x
Worsbrough 7 14.72x
Horningsea 6 260.87x
Ilfracombe 6 17.09x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 107
Sarah 62
Elizabeth 52
Ann 40
Emma 33
Annie 29
Eliza 28
Martha 27
Hannah 26
Jane 25
Emily 24
Alice 23
Ellen 20
Florence 14
Margaret 13
Charlotte 12
Clara 11
Maria 11
Ada 10
Ethel 10
Lucy 10
Caroline 9
Susan 9
Edith 8
Julia 8
Agnes 7
Harriet 7
Louisa 7
Anne 6
Beatrice 6
Fanny 6
Frances 6
Mabel 6
Bertha 5
Gertrude 5
Kate 5
Rebecca 5
Selina 5
Amy 4
Grace 4
Lilian 4
Abigail 3
Amelia 3
Eleanor 3
Elizth. 3
Harriett 3
Jessie 3
Kathleen 3
Rachel 3
Ruth 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 94
John 83
George 54
Thomas 50
James 46
Charles 43
Joseph 30
Henry 27
Arthur 21
Walter 20
Edward 16
Alfred 15
Frederick 14
Herbert 14
Albert 13
Harry 13
Richard 12
Robert 11
David 10
Frank 9
Wm. 9
Isaac 8
Edwin 7
Ernest 7
Francis 6
Samuel 6
Tom 6
Wilfred 5
Daniel 4
Fred 4
Geo. 4
Harold 4
Jacob 4
Jesse 4
Joshua 4
Matthew 4
Nathaniel 4
Caleb 3
Leonard 3
Richd. 3
Alsop 2
Benjamin 2
Cole 2
Edgar 2
Geo.Wm. 2
Joe 2
Philip 2
Reginald 2
Ridley 2
Saml. 2

FAQ

Moxon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moxon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,687 people were recorded with the Moxon surname. That placed it at #2,547 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moxon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,267 in 2016. That gives Moxon a modern rank of #2,862.

What does the Moxon surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone from Moxon, a location in Yorkshire, England.

What does the Moxon map show?

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