NameCensus.

UK surname

Moy

Anglicized form of an Irish surname, referring to a person who was a descendant of a devotee of the Virgin Mary.

In the 1881 census there were 582 people recorded with the Moy surname, ranking it #5,992 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,131, ranked #5,205, up from #5,992 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Thorpe Market and Dudley. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Broadland, North Norfolk and Eaglesham and Waterfoot.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moy is 1,220 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 94.3%.

1881 census count

582

Ranked #5,992

Modern count

1,131

2016, ranked #5,205

Peak year

1999

1,220 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moy had 582 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,992 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,131 in 2016, ranked #5,205.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 814 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Moy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moy 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 387 #6,204
1881 historical 582 #5,992
1891 historical 2 #34,436
1901 historical 814 #5,545
1997 modern 1,160 #4,855
1998 modern 1,198 #4,885
1999 modern 1,220 #4,851
2000 modern 1,198 #4,911
2001 modern 1,161 #4,954
2002 modern 1,181 #4,967
2003 modern 1,159 #4,948
2004 modern 1,164 #4,943
2005 modern 1,159 #4,906
2006 modern 1,142 #4,967
2007 modern 1,157 #4,964
2008 modern 1,157 #4,982
2009 modern 1,163 #5,080
2010 modern 1,191 #5,080
2011 modern 1,183 #5,048
2012 modern 1,155 #5,068
2013 modern 1,184 #5,051
2014 modern 1,186 #5,076
2015 modern 1,167 #5,088
2016 modern 1,131 #5,205

Geography

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Where Moys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Thorpe Market, Dudley and King's Lynn St Margaret. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Broadland, North Norfolk, Eaglesham and Waterfoot, South Tyneside and Northumberland. 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 1
2 Thorpe Market Norfolk
3 Dudley Staffordshire
4 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
5 London parishes London 3

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Broadland 002 Broadland
2 North Norfolk 002 North Norfolk
3 Eaglesham and Waterfoot East Renfrewshire
4 South Tyneside 002 South Tyneside
5 Northumberland 031 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moy

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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Moy is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Moy is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Moy falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Moy is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Moy, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Moy

The surname Moy originates from Ireland and is of Gaelic origin, believed to have derived from the Irish word "magh," meaning "plain" or "field." It is thought to have been a topographic name given to those who lived on a plain or open field area.

The name can be traced back to the 12th century in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Mayo and Sligo. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, where it appears as "Moy" in the year 1179.

In the 13th century, the name is found in the form "de Moy" in various records, suggesting it may have been adopted by Anglo-Norman settlers in Ireland. The prefix "de" was commonly used to denote a place of origin or residence.

The Moy surname is also linked to various placenames in Ireland, such as Moy in County Tyrone and Moygashel in County Tyrone, which may have contributed to the spread and adoption of the name.

One notable historical figure with the Moy surname was Sir John de Moy, a 14th-century Norman-Irish knight who served as Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1364 to 1368.

Another prominent individual was Patrick Moy de Lacy, a 16th-century Irish chieftain and leader of the O'More clan, who fought against English rule in Ireland during the Tudor conquest.

In the 17th century, the name appears in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1665, a tax record for Ireland, indicating its presence in various counties, including Mayo, Sligo, and Galway.

During the 18th century, the Moy surname is found in the records of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, with several individuals bearing the name participating in the uprising against British rule.

In the 19th century, John Moy, born in 1813, was a notable Irish writer and journalist who contributed to various publications and advocated for Irish nationalism.

While the Moy surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and has been adopted by people of various ethnicities and backgrounds.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moy 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. Norfolk leads with 275 Moys recorded in 1881 and an index of 30.11x.

County Total Index
Norfolk 275 30.11x
Middlesex 78 1.31x
Yorkshire 37 0.63x
Northumberland 26 2.94x
Surrey 25 0.86x
Lancashire 20 0.28x
Suffolk 19 2.63x
Staffordshire 18 0.90x
Sussex 18 1.80x
Fife 14 3.98x
Durham 12 0.68x
Warwickshire 12 0.80x
Berkshire 8 1.79x
Essex 7 0.60x
Worcestershire 7 0.90x
Lanarkshire 6 0.31x
Cambridgeshire 5 1.33x
Channel Islands 5 2.84x
Shropshire 5 0.97x
Lincolnshire 3 0.32x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.56x
Kent 2 0.10x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.18x
Bedfordshire 1 0.33x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.63x
Hertfordshire 1 0.24x
Monmouthshire 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Kings Lynn St Margaret in Norfolk leads with 24 Moys recorded in 1881 and an index of 87.53x.

Place Total Index
Kings Lynn St Margaret 24 87.53x
St Pancras London 20 4.18x
Aylsham 18 330.88x
Aylmerton 16 2580.65x
Sculcoates 16 17.14x
Thorpe Market 14 3414.63x
Dysart 13 54.90x
Ludham 13 802.47x
Hindringham 12 1000.00x
Guestwick 11 2972.97x
Islington London 11 1.91x
Great Yarmouth 10 13.22x
Southrepps 10 564.97x
Swaffham 10 134.59x
Brighton 9 4.45x
Norwich St James 9 125.52x
Cookham 8 57.55x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 8 10.45x
Cley Next Sea 7 476.19x
Coventry Holy Trinity 7 15.65x
Dudley 7 7.42x
Kinver 7 121.11x
Rotherhithe 7 9.54x
Rowley Regis 7 12.53x
Salthouse 7 1666.67x
Shoreditch London 7 2.72x
Stoke Newington London 7 15.13x
Burlingham St Andrew 6 1666.67x
Castle Acre 6 221.40x
Fulmodestone Cum Croxton 6 821.92x
Horsford 6 422.54x
Lambeth 6 1.16x
Martham 6 269.06x
Roughton 6 674.16x
Thursford 6 909.09x
Bedlington 5 16.94x
Coventry St Michael 5 10.39x
Cramlington 5 42.81x
Everton 5 2.23x
Hampstead London 5 5.40x
Hemsby 5 378.79x
Holywell 5 109.89x
Little Hulton 5 42.84x
Normanton 5 28.26x
Sheringham 5 212.77x
St Giles In Fields 5 24.40x
Wansford 5 1162.79x
Battersea 4 1.83x
Bethnal Green London 4 1.55x
Camberwell 4 1.05x
Felmingham 4 500.00x
Gorleston 4 21.76x
Gorton 4 6.04x
Great Ryburgh 4 283.69x
Hackney London 4 1.20x
Hindolveston 4 300.75x
Huntingfield 4 547.95x
Preston 4 22.87x
Seaton Delaval 4 51.55x
Seghill 4 92.38x
St Peter 4 78.74x
Stanway 4 194.17x
Swinefleet 4 157.48x
Widnes 4 7.87x
Bodham 3 491.80x
East Dereham 3 26.00x
Govan 3 0.63x
Hornsey 3 3.99x
Kelling 3 697.67x
Newington 3 18.51x
Orford 3 128.76x
Runton 3 288.46x
Skeyton 3 468.75x
Thurston 3 211.27x
Wednesbury 3 5.99x
West Barsham 3 1500.00x
West Ham 3 1.16x
Westminster St 3 13.70x
Whitechapel London 3 5.12x
Wymondham 3 32.12x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 35
Elizabeth 25
Eliza 12
Hannah 11
Sarah 11
Ann 10
Jane 10
Ellen 9
Harriet 9
Alice 7
Emily 7
Charlotte 6
Edith 6
Emma 6
Louisa 6
Harriett 5
Lucy 5
Maria 5
Amelia 4
Frances 4
Martha 4
Susan 4
Rebecca 3
Rose 3
Sophia 3
Susannah 3
Anne 2
Annie 2
Bessie 2
Caroline 2
Eleanor 2
Florence 2
Jemima 2
Jesse 2
Margaret 2
Susanna 2
Adaline 1
Amy 1
Beatrice 1
Beresford 1
Elizth 1
Emeline 1
Emilie 1
Emm.L. 1
Helen 1
Henrieta 1
Herberta 1
Hermon 1
Ina 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 39
William 38
James 27
George 25
Robert 19
Charles 13
Thomas 13
Alfred 9
Arthur 9
Frederick 8
Edward 6
Francis 6
Henry 6
Walter 6
Ernest 5
Herbert 5
Albert 4
Elijah 4
Harry 4
Richard 4
Wm. 3
Benjamin 2
David 2
Edwin 2
Fredr. 2
Jas. 2
Jean 2
Job 2
Joseph 2
Robt. 2
Samuel 2
Allen 1
Andrew 1
Cubitt 1
Danniel 1
Edwd. 1
Edwd.C. 1
Fred 1
Fredk. 1
G.William 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Jno.Bloom 1
Johy 1
Jonathan 1
Josiah 1
Mick. 1
Richd. 1

FAQ

Moy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 582 people were recorded with the Moy surname. That placed it at #5,992 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,131 in 2016. That gives Moy a modern rank of #5,205.

What does the Moy surname mean?

Anglicized form of an Irish surname, referring to a person who was a descendant of a devotee of the Virgin Mary.

What does the Moy map show?

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