Moorehead
A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a moor or marshland.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,553 Americans carry the last name Moorehead. That puts it at #6,995 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 61,724 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moorehead surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
5.6K
1 in 61,724
Census rank
#6,995
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,791 bearers of the surname Moorehead in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6995th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moorehead, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.1%. The next largest groups are Black (28.5%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moorehead
The surname Moorehead is of Scottish origin and is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century. It is a locational name derived from a place called Moorhead, which is located near Bathgate in West Lothian, Scotland. The name is thought to come from the Old English words "mor" meaning "moor" and "heafod" meaning "head" or "hill", referring to a person who lived near a moorland hilltop.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland in 1505, where a John Moirheid is mentioned. Another early reference is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1532, which mention a Robert Moirheid.
In the late 16th century, the name was also recorded in various spellings such as Moorheid, Muirheid, and Muirhead. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in spelling during that time period.
One notable person with the surname Moorehead was Sir James Moorehead, who was born in 1770 and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1832. He was a successful merchant and banker, and played a prominent role in the City of London.
Another prominent individual was John Moorehead (1734-1804), an American Presbyterian minister and educator who served as the first president of the University of Pennsylvania in 1779.
In the field of literature, there was Mary Moorehead (1905-1994), an Australian novelist and biographer who wrote several books about the lives of famous writers and explorers.
The name Moorehead is also associated with Sir William Moorehead (1835-1919), a Scottish engineer and shipbuilder who was knighted for his contributions to the industry.
Lastly, Alan Moorehead (1910-1983) was a renowned Australian writer and journalist, known for his works on World War II and other historical events.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moorehead
Among Census respondents with the surname Moorehead, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.1%. The next largest groups are Black (28.5%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Moorehead bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Moorehead surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.1%
- Black or African American28.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.8%
- Two or more races2.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Moorehead surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,995 | #6,995 | 0.0% |
| Count | 4,791 | 4,791 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.62 | 1.62 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Moorehead bearers went from 4,791 to 4,791 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #6,995 to #6,995.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Moorehead
FAQ
Moorehead surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Moorehead?
The surname Moorehead holds position #6,995 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 5,553 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.62 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Moorehead surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moorehead, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.1%. The next largest groups are Black (28.5%) and Hispanic (2.8%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.