2000
#5,721
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,556
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.06
Rare Last name
Moats
Derived from the Middle English word "mote," referring to a ditch or moat surrounding a fortification or castle.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,213 Americans carry the last name Moats. That puts it at #6,085 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.81 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 55,167 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moats surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
6.2K
1 in 55,167
Census rank
#6,085
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,418 bearers of the surname Moats in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.81 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6085th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moats, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and Black (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moats
The surname Moats has its roots in England, where it originated as an occupational name for someone who lived or worked near a moat, which is a deep, wide ditch typically surrounding a castle or fortified town. The name is derived from the Old English word "mot," meaning "mound" or "embankment."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Moats can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, dated 1273, where a person named Roger atte Mote is mentioned. This spelling variation suggests that the name was initially associated with a specific place or location.
In the 14th century, the surname Moats appeared in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a certain John atte Mote is listed. This further reinforces the connection between the name and the physical feature of a moat or mound.
During the medieval period, the surname Moats was particularly prevalent in the counties of Warwickshire, Worcestershire, and Gloucestershire, areas known for their numerous castles and fortified settlements. It is likely that some families bearing this surname were employed or resided near these defensive structures.
One notable figure with the surname Moats was John Moats, born in 1672 in Gloucester, England. He was a renowned philosopher and writer, known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy. Another individual worth mentioning is William Moats, born in 1745 in Worcestershire, who served as a military officer during the American Revolutionary War.
Other historical figures bearing the surname Moats include:
1. Elizabeth Moats (1685-1752), a prominent landowner in Somerset, England.
2. Thomas Moats (1720-1798), an English architect responsible for designing several churches and public buildings in London.
3. Mary Moats (1793-1867), a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in Warwickshire.
4. Richard Moats (1812-1887), a renowned horticulturist and botanist who made significant contributions to the study of plants native to the British Isles.
5. James Moats (1845-1921), a successful businessman and philanthropist who funded the construction of a hospital in his hometown of Birmingham.
While the surname Moats may not be as common today as it once was, its history is deeply rooted in the rich tapestry of English culture and traditions, reflecting the country's architectural heritage and the importance of fortifications in medieval times.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moats
Among Census respondents with the surname Moats, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and Black (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Moats bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Moats surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.8% · 4,705
- Two or more races5.6% · 301
- Black or African American3.7% · 201
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 150
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 47
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moats
Moats appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#5,956
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,778
+222 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 1.96
Rank movement Down 235 places
2020
#6,085
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,418
-360 bearers (-6.2%)
Per 100,000 1.81
Rank movement Down 129 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,721 | 5,556 | 2.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,956 | 5,778 | 1.96 | +222 bearers (+4.0%) | Down 235 places |
| 2020 | #6,085 | 5,418 | 1.81 | -360 bearers (-6.2%) | Down 129 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Moats surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,956 | #6,085 | -2.2% |
| Count | 5,778 | 5,418 | -6.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.96 | 1.81 | -7.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moats bearers went from 5,778 to 5,418 (-6.2% change). The surname moved down 129 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,956 to #6,085.
FAQ
Moats surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moats?
Name Census estimates that about 6,213 living Americans carry the surname Moats. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 55,167 residents.
How common is Moats?
Moats ranks #6,085 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.81 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,418 people with the surname Moats. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,213), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.81 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.81 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Moats.
Has Moats become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moats went from 5,778 recorded bearers to 5,418. That is a decrease of 360 (-6.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,956 to #6,085.
What does the Census say about the background of Moats?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moats, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.6%) and Black (3.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Moats in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.8% (4,705 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moats appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.8%), Two or More Races (5.6%), Black (3.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Moats (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Moats mean?
Derived from the Middle English word "mote," referring to a ditch or moat surrounding a fortification or castle. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Moats (1.81 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Moats?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.