Show ContentsMoen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Moen

What does the name Moen mean?

The name Moen reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Moen family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Moen family lived in Kent. The name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Moion, near St. Lo, Normandy, "where the site of their castle is still to be seen. Wace tells us that 'old William de Moion had with him many companions' and the battle of Hastings, and one of Leland's rolls of the Norman conquerors is nothing but a list of those who came in the train of 'Monseir William de Moion le Veil, le plus noble de tout l'ouste." 1

Early Origins of the Moen family

The surname Moen was first found in Kent where they held a family seat at Maidstone in that shire. They were descended from Guillaume (William) de Moyon a Norman Baron whose seat was at the castle of Moion, near St. Lo in Normandy. 2

William de Moyon received large grants of land in Somerset, the Lordship of Clehangre in Devon, and Sutton in Wiltshire. He also had grants in Kent. From William was descended the first Earl of Somerset, the Earls of Dorset and the Barons of Okehampton.

"At the period of the Conquest, this town [now called Minehead], then called Manheved, was given by William [the Conqueror] to William de Mohun." 3

Although the main stem of this very noble Norman family retained the various spellings of Munn or Munns, junior lines adopted the name Munson or Munnings. The same William de Mohun (Moyon) held estates in Dunster, Somerset.

"The town, which is called Torre in Domesday Book, owes its origin to a baronial castle built here by William de Mohun, a Norman Baron, on whom the Conqueror had bestowed large estates in this part of the kingdom. The castle, which was held by the family of Mohun till the reign of Edward III., was the scene of hostilities in the civil wars of the reigns of Stephen and John, and in the contests between the houses of York and Lancaster; the Marquess of Hertford, also, took possession of it for Charles I. during the war with the parliament." 3

"Rosteage, [in the parish of Gerrans, Cornwall] in the reign of Elizabeth, was the seat of Reginald Mohun, a captain under Sir Walter Raleigh. In this family it continued until the year 1662, when it was purchased by Nicholas Kempe, Esq." 4

Early History of the Moen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moen research. Another 260 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1390, 1400, 1508, 1564, 1568, 1571, 1573, 1579, 1587, 1595, 1603, 1610, 1615, 1616, 1618, 1620, 1625, 1626, 1641, 1642, 1645, 1665, 1681, 1684, 1685, 1689, 1690, 1692, 1712, 1718 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Moen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moen Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Moen include Moyon, Moion, Mohun, Moyne, Munn, Munns, Munson, Munton, Mwn, Mun, Munds, Mouns, Muns, Munnes, Munnson, Munnsen, Munning and many more.

Early Notables of the Moen family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Reginald Mohun, 1st Baronet (ca.1603-1642), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1625 and 1626; John Mohun, 1st Baron Mohun of Okehampton (1595-1641), an English politician; Warwick Mohun, 2nd Baron Mohun of Okehampton (1620-1665), an English politician; Michael Mohun (1616?-1684), a...
Another 53 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Moen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moen Ranking

In the United States, the name Moen is the 4,086th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Moen family to Ireland

Some of the Moen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Moen migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Moens to arrive on North American shores:

Moen Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Frantz Moen, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 6
Moen Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • A. R. Moen, who settled in New York in 1840
  • Helge Olsen Moen, who settled in Wisconsin sometime between 1845 and 1856
  • John Moen, who arrived in Texas in 1850-1906 6
  • Carl Moen, who settled in Iowa in 1891
Moen Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mary Moen, who landed in Colorado in 1900 6
  • Bent Moen, who settled in North Dakota in 1907

Contemporary Notables of the name Moen (post 1700) +

  • Alfred M. Moen (1916-2001), American inventor and founder of Moen, Inc; he invented the single-handed mixing faucet, Fortune Magazine in 1959 claimed the invention to be as important as the Model T and Benjamin Franklin's Franklin stove
  • Erika Moen, American comic book artist
  • Don Moen (b. 1950), American singer-songwriter and pastor
  • Alexandra Moen, English actress
  • Anders Moen (1887-1966), Norwegian gymnast who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics
  • Sigurd Olsen Moen (1897-1967), Norwegian former speed skater and Olympic medalist
  • Roger Moen (b. 1930), former Belgian middle distance runner
  • Anita Moen (b. 1967), former Norwegian Cross-country skier
  • Roger Möen (b. 1966), Norwegian retired auto racing driver
  • Petter Vaagan Moen (b. 1984), Norwegian footballer
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Sigurd Hansen Moen (d. 1912), aged 25, Norwegian Third Class passenger from Bergen who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking and was recovered by CS Minia 7


The Moen Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Omnia vincit veritas
Motto Translation: Truth conquers all things.


  1. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  7. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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