Moyle
A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Ó Maolmhuidh," meaning "descendant of the devotee of Saint Muidh."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,399 Americans carry the last name Moyle. That puts it at #14,398 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.70 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 142,874 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moyle 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
2.4K
1 in 142,874
Census rank
#14,398
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,076 bearers of the surname Moyle in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.70 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14398th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moyle, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Hispanic (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moyle
The surname "MOYLE" originated in Ireland and is derived from the Gaelic word "moil" meaning "bald" or "bare". It likely referred to a person with a shaven or tonsured head, possibly a monk or clergyman.
This surname is found primarily in Counties Cork and Kerry in the southwest of Ireland, suggesting it may have originated in this region. Early spellings included "Moyll", "Moyl", and "Moile". The name is also found in the form "Moyles" or "Moile" in Irish records.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters from the 12th century, which mentions a "Maelsechlainn Ua Moile" who was a chief of the Ui Dunadhach in County Cork.
In the 16th century, the surname is found in the Fiants of the Irish Chancery Rolls, which lists several individuals with the name, such as John Moyle of Cork in 1571 and David Moyle of Kerry in 1586.
Notable individuals with the surname include Sir Walter Moyle (1672-1721), an English politician and Member of Parliament for Saltash; John Moyle (1788-1880), an English landscape painter; and Henry Moyle (1804-1883), an English clergyman and author.
Other historically significant figures include Sir Thomas Moyle (1490-1560), an English lawyer and member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII; and Sir Nathaniel Moyle (1608-1693), an English lawyer and politician who served as Attorney General during the reign of Charles II.
The surname "MOYLE" is deeply rooted in Irish history and has been found in various records dating back to the 12th century, reflecting its longstanding presence in Counties Cork and Kerry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moyle
Among Census respondents with the surname Moyle, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Hispanic (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Moyle 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 Moyle surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8%
- Two or more races1.7%
- Hispanic or Latino1.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.4%
- Black or African American0.8%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Moyle 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 | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,547 | #14,398 | -6.3% |
| Count | 2,057 | 2,076 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.76 | 0.70 | -7.9% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Moyle bearers went from 2,057 to 2,076 (+0.9% change). The surname moved down 851 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,547 to #14,398.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Moyle
FAQ
Moyle surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Moyle?
The surname Moyle holds position #14,398 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,399 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.70 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Moyle surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moyle, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Hispanic (1.6%). 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.