Moore Family History
Moore Surname Meaning
English: from Middle English more ‘moor marsh fen’ (Old English mōr) hence a topographic name for someone who lived in such a place or a habitational name from any of various places called with this word as for example Moore in Cheshire or More in Shropshire. English (of Norman origin): ethnic name from Old French more ‘Moor’ either someone from North Africa or more often a nickname for someone thought to resemble a Moor. Compare Morrell and Moreau . English (of Norman origin): from the Middle English personal name More (Old French More Maur Latin Maurus) originally denoting either ‘Moor’ or someone with a swarthy complexion (compare Morrell Morrin Morris and sense 2 above). There was a 6th-century Christian saint of this name. Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Mórdha ‘descendant of Mórdha’ a byname meaning ‘great proud’ or ‘stately’. Scottish: variant of Muir . Welsh: nickname from mawr ‘big great’ either describing a man's size or greatness (perhaps applied ironically) or as a means of distinguishing two men with the same name.7: Americanized form of Slovenian Mur .
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022
