Contents [hide]

Moses History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Moses History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Moses

What does the name Moses mean?

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Moses family name to the British Isles. They lived in Shropshire. The name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England, Moy, Normandy.

Early Origins of the Moses family

The surname Moses was first found in Shropshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The earliest reference to the name was Jeanne de Moy, a wealthy dowager widow of William Crispin IX, Baron of Bec in France about the year 1325. The name originated in Moy in Normandy. However, the name Moy became interpreted in northwestern England and Wales, and on the Welsh border as Moyes, Moyse, and Moses, even Moesen, the latter being a Welsh version being found in Denbigh, Llangollen and Wrexham. The name was also extended to Mostyn, and became attached to Vychan, Lord of Mostyn.

Early History of the Moses family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moses research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1623 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Moses History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moses Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Moy, Moye, Moys, Moyse, Moyes, Moses, Moesen, Moi and others.

Early Notables of the Moses family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

William Moses (1623?-1688), an English academic and lawyer, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge

Moses Ranking

In the United States, the name Moses is the 620^th most popular surname with an estimated 47,253 people with that name. 1 However, in South Africa, the name Moses is ranked the 395^th most popular surname with an estimated 18,125 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Moses family to Ireland

Some of the Moses family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moses migration to the United States +

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Moses or a variant listed above:

Moses Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Moses, who arrived in Virginia in 1658 3
Jane Moses, who landed in Virginia in 1663 3
Samll Moses, who landed in Virginia in 1663 3
Xtop Moses, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 3

Moses Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Simon Moses, who settled in New York State in 1715
Benjamin Moses, who settled in Maryland in 1726
Susan Moses, who settled in Virginia in 1734
Adam Moses, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1743 3
Johan Adam Moses, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1743 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Moses Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Reuben Moses, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1825 3
Samuel Moses, who arrived in America in 1840 3
Simon Moses, who landed in Mississippi in 1843 3
Mina Moses, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 3
Abraham Moses, who landed in New York, NY in 1850 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Moses Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Melick Moses, who landed in Mississippi in 1902 3
Isidore Moses, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 3

Moses migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Moses Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Robert Moses, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mr. William Moses U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 4

Moses Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

David Moses, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1848

Moses migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Moses Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Joseph Moses, (Anderson), English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Jacob Moses, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 6
John Moses, a baker, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Abraham Moses, a hatter, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Mr. David Moses, British convict who was convicted in London, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 19th November 1827, settling in New South Wales, Australia 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Moses migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Moses Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Rachel Moses, aged 28, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 8
Leah Moses, aged 21, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 8
John Moses, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1872
Mrs. Mary Ann Moses, (b. 1843), aged 31, Cornish settler departing on 2nd May 1874 aboard the ship "Winchester" going to Hawkes Bay, New Zealand arriving in port on 27th July 1874 9
Mr. Richard J Moses, (b. 1863), aged 11, Cornish settler departing on 2nd May 1874 aboard the ship "Winchester" going to Hawkes Bay, New Zealand arriving in port on 27th July 1874 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Moses (post 1700) +

Wayne Moses (1955-2024), American football coach
Robert Parris "Bob" Moses (1935-2021), American educator and civil rights activist, known for his work as a leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee on voter education and registration in Mississippi
Gerald Braheen "Jerry" Moses (1946-2018), American Major League Baseball catcher who played from 1965 to 1975, All-Star (1970)
Ed Moses (1926-2018), American artist based in Los Angeles
Quentin Moses (1983-2017), American NFL football outside linebacker and defensive ends coach for Reinhardt University
Brigadier-General Raymond George Moses (1891-1974), American Division Engineer, New England Division (1946-1949) 10
Robert Moses Ph.D. (1888-1981), American Consultant to the Chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City
Edwin Corley Moses (b. 1955), American athlete
Anna Mary Moses (1860-1961), American primitive artist
John Henry Moses KCVO (1938-2024), British prelate, Dean of St Paul's from November 1996 until his retirement on 31 August 2006
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Moses family +

HMS Royal Oak

Leonard David Moses (1917-1939), British Marine with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 11

RMS Lusitania

Mrs. Janet Lynn Moses, American 3rd Class passenger from Wilkinsburg, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 12

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1827
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to other ports, 1872 - 84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Raymond Moses. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Moses/Raymond_George/USA.html
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/