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

Moors, 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 Moors surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Moors in America

Moors is the 22183rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Moors surname appeared 1,164 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Moors.

We can also compare 2010 data for Moors 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 Moors

The surname MOORS is of Anglo-Saxon origin, derived from the Old English word "mor" meaning a marshland or a moor. It is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, possibly as early as the 8th or 9th century.

The name was likely initially used as a topographic surname, referring to someone who lived near or worked in a marshy area or a moor. It is also possible that the name was originally used as a locational surname, referring to someone who hailed from a place named after a moor.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with names containing the element "mor" or "more," suggesting the existence of the surname MOORS at that time.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MOORS is found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, which mention a person named Willelmus de la More. Another early record is from the Curia Regis Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1212, which refers to a Hugo de la More.

Over the centuries, the surname MOORS has undergone various spelling variations, including More, Moore, Moor, and Moores, reflecting the inconsistencies in record-keeping and pronunciation at the time.

Notable individuals with the surname MOORS throughout history include:

1. Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), an English philosopher, lawyer, and statesman who served as Lord Chancellor of England under King Henry VIII.

2. Henry More (1614-1687), an English philosopher and theologian, considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Cambridge Platonist movement.

3. Hannah More (1745-1833), an English religious writer and philanthropist who played a significant role in the abolition of slavery.

4. John Moore (1761-1809), a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.

5. Thomas More Molyneux (1661-1733), an Irish lawyer, writer, and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the University of Cambridge.

These examples illustrate the long and diverse history of the surname MOORS, which has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including philosophers, writers, politicians, and military leaders.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Moors

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

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

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

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