NameCensus.

UK surname

Moyles

Of Irish origin, a diminutive of "moll" meaning bald or bare.

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Moyles surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 279, ranked #15,534, up from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Rowley Regis and Halifax. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Leeds, Preston and Cowdenbeath North.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Moyles is 308 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 210.0%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

279

2016, ranked #15,534

Peak year

2010

308 bearers

Map years

6

1891 to 2016

Key insights

  • Moyles had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 279 in 2016, ranked #15,534.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 140 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Moyles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Moyles surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Moyles 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 21 #29,550
1861 historical 55 #27,007
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 103 #23,558
1901 historical 113 #21,296
1911 historical 140 #18,657
1997 modern 276 #14,290
1998 modern 276 #14,679
1999 modern 279 #14,670
2000 modern 272 #14,868
2001 modern 259 #15,151
2002 modern 256 #15,565
2003 modern 261 #15,180
2004 modern 274 #14,762
2005 modern 268 #14,905
2006 modern 272 #14,834
2007 modern 286 #14,496
2008 modern 293 #14,364
2009 modern 297 #14,519
2010 modern 308 #14,452
2011 modern 301 #14,563
2012 modern 301 #14,476
2013 modern 299 #14,780
2014 modern 288 #15,285
2015 modern 270 #15,911
2016 modern 279 #15,534

Geography

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Where Moyles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Rowley Regis, Halifax, London parishes and Coppenhall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Leeds, Preston, Cowdenbeath North and Tameside. 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 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Rowley Regis Staffordshire
3 Halifax Yorkshire, West Riding
4 London parishes London 3
5 Coppenhall Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Leeds 069 Leeds
2 Preston 007 Preston
3 Preston 009 Preston
4 Cowdenbeath North Fife
5 Tameside 023 Tameside

Forenames

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First names often paired with Moyles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Moyles

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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, Moyles 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

Moyles 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

Moyles falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Moyles 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Moyles

The surname Moyles has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "maol," meaning "bald" or "tonsured." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone who was bald or had a tonsured head, which was common among monks and clerics at the time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Moyles can be found in the Fiants of the Irish Chancery from the late 16th century, where it appears as "Moyly." This spelling variation suggests that the name was subject to various phonetic renderings before it evolved into its modern form.

The Moyles name has strong ties to County Down in Northern Ireland, particularly in the areas around Downpatrick and the Ards Peninsula. It is believed that the name may have originated in these regions and then spread throughout Ireland and beyond.

In the 17th century, records show several individuals bearing the Moyles surname, including John Moyles, who was born in County Down around 1620. Another notable figure was William Moyles, a merchant and landowner from Downpatrick, who lived from 1675 to 1745.

As the Irish diaspora spread across the world, the Moyles name traveled with it. In the 18th century, James Moyles, born in 1725 in County Down, emigrated to America and settled in Pennsylvania, where he established a successful farming community.

Another prominent figure was Sir Edmund Moyles, a British diplomat and politician who lived from 1835 to 1912. He served as the Governor of the Windward Islands and was knighted for his services to the British Empire.

In the 19th century, the Moyles surname also gained prominence in Australia, with John Moyles, born in 1820 in County Down, becoming one of the early settlers in the colony of New South Wales, where he worked as a farmer and landowner.

Throughout history, the Moyles name has been associated with various occupations and professions, ranging from farmers and merchants to politicians and diplomats. While the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has evolved into a distinct surname with a rich heritage and global reach.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Moyles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Moyles 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. Lancashire leads with 14 Moyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.33x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 14 1.33x
Surrey 14 3.24x
Worcestershire 13 11.22x
Staffordshire 9 3.00x
Lanarkshire 6 2.09x
Cornwall 5 4.98x
Middlesex 5 0.56x
Warwickshire 5 2.23x
Cheshire 4 2.04x
Denbighshire 3 8.95x
Yorkshire 3 0.34x
Angus 2 2.43x
Fife 2 3.81x
Flintshire 2 8.38x
Shropshire 2 2.61x
Isle of Man 1 6.07x
Somerset 1 0.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Newington in Surrey leads with 11 Moyles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.55x.

Place Total Index
Newington 11 33.55x
West Derby 7 22.72x
Gradley 6 1071.43x
Eccleshall 5 438.60x
New Monkland 5 58.96x
Ribbesford 5 520.83x
Church Coppenhall 4 454.55x
Edgbaston 4 57.64x
Essington 4 1025.64x
Little Bolton 4 29.54x
St Erth 4 655.74x
Acton 3 3000.00x
Clapham 3 27.03x
St Marylebone London 3 6.33x
Bronington 2 952.38x
Collessie 2 333.33x
Pershore Holy Cross 2 270.27x
St Andrew Holborn 2 66.45x
Tong 2 1333.33x
Birmingham 1 1.34x
Bradford 1 4.70x
Briercliffe Cum 1 285.71x
Elland Cum Greetland 1 25.25x
German 1 111.11x
Liverpool 1 1.56x
Lostwithel 1 357.14x
Lundie 1 1000.00x
Monifieth 1 34.48x
Old Monkland 1 8.78x
Pendleton In Salford 1 7.97x
Pointington 1 2500.00x
Ryther Cum Ossendyke 1 1111.11x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 8
William 5
Albert 3
Thomas 3
Henry 2
James 2
Patrick 2
Richard 2
Arthur 1
Chas. 1
Francis 1
Geo. 1
Harry 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Patt 1
Robert 1
Wm. 1
Wm.Hy 1

Top occupations

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 Moyles households.

FAQ

Moyles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Moyles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Moyles surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Moyles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 279 in 2016. That gives Moyles a modern rank of #15,534.

What does the Moyles surname mean?

Of Irish origin, a diminutive of "moll" meaning bald or bare.

What does the Moyles map show?

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