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

Moores, 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 Moores surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moores in America

Moores is the 12435th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moores surname appeared 2,498 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 Moores.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moores 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 Moores

The surname Moores is of English and Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from the Old English words "mor" meaning "marsh" or "moor" and "hors" meaning "horse." The name initially referred to someone who lived near a marsh or a moor where horses grazed.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Muris." Other early variations include "Mores" (1199), "Mores" (1273), and "Mours" (1327). These variations reflect the evolution of the name's spelling over time.

In the 13th century, the name Moores emerged in various parts of England, particularly in counties like Somerset, Devon, and Gloucestershire, where marshlands and moors were prevalent. The name was also found in other regions, such as Lancashire and Yorkshire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Moores is Thomas Moores, who was born in Somerset in 1534. Another notable figure was Sir John Moores (1572-1629), an English landowner and Member of Parliament from Wiltshire.

During the English Civil War (1642-1651), Captain Henry Moores (1616-1673) was a prominent figure who fought for the Parliamentarians. He later became a member of Oliver Cromwell's council and served as Governor of Dublin.

In the 18th century, Reverend Jonas Moores (1708-1776) was a notable English clergyman and author from Gloucestershire. He wrote several works on religious subjects and served as the rector of various parishes.

Another notable individual was John Moores (1783-1857), an English industrialist and entrepreneur from Lancashire. He founded the Moores Brewery and played a significant role in the development of the brewing industry in the region.

Over the centuries, the Moores surname has been carried by many notable individuals across various fields, including politics, military, religion, and business. The name's origins can be traced back to the marshlands and moors of medieval England, reflecting the rich history and diversity of English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moores

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

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 Moores 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 Moores 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 Moores was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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