Find out how popular the last name Moles is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Moles.

Moles, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Moles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moles in America

Moles is the 11355th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moles surname appeared 2,778 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Moles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moles to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Moles

The surname Moles has its origins in England, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "mol," meaning a mole, which was a small burrowing animal. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a molehill or had some association with moles.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Moles can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, where a person named William Molle is mentioned. This likely represents an earlier spelling variation of the surname.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Moles name appeared in various records across England, particularly in the counties of Sussex, Kent, and Essex. Some notable examples include John Moles, who was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1327, and Richard Moles, recorded in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1378.

The Moles surname has also been linked to certain place names in England, such as Mole's Green in Hertfordshire and Molesey in Surrey. These locations may have influenced the development of the surname or been named after individuals bearing the Moles name.

One notable figure in history with the surname Moles was Sir John Moles, a member of the English Parliament who served during the reign of King Edward III in the 14th century. He was born around 1310 and played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War against France.

Another prominent individual was Robert Moles, an English clergyman and scholar who lived in the 15th century. He was born around 1440 and became the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge in 1491.

In the 16th century, Thomas Moles was a notable figure who served as the Mayor of Canterbury in 1561. He was involved in local governance and played a role in the city's affairs during the Tudor period.

During the 17th century, Edward Moles gained recognition as a prominent English mathematician and astronomer. He was born in 1616 and made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy and navigation.

In the 18th century, John Moles was a respected English architect and surveyor. He was born in 1728 and was responsible for designing several notable buildings and structures in various parts of England.

Throughout its history, the Moles surname has been associated with various professions, including agriculture, clergy, academics, and government officials. While the name originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and family dispersal.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moles

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Moles.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Moles was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Moles has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Moles was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Moles, please contact us.

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