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Moor Family History

Moor Surname Meaning

English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh: variant of Moore. German: variant of Mohr. Dutch (also De Moor): nickname for a man of swarthy complexion from Middle Dutch moor ‘Moor’ (from Latin maurus) or a topographic or habitational name referring to a house distinguished by the sign of a Moor.

Compare De Moor. Dutch: from a personal name derived from Latin Maurus ‘Moor’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Moor family from?

You can see how Moor families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Moor family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Moor families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 639 Moor families living in Yorkshire. This was about 20% of all the recorded Moor's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Moor families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Moor surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Moor ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Moor. 12% of Moor men worked as a General Labourer and 72% of Moor women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Moor were Railway Clerk and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Moor | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    12%
  • Dairy Farmer
    8%
  • Farmer
    5%
  • Railway Clerk
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Housekeeper
    2%

What Moor family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 125,000 census records available for the last name Moor. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Moor census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Moor

Passenger Lists

There are 14,000 immigration records available for the last name Moor. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Moor immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Moor. For the veterans among your Moor ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Moor military records

You've only scratched the surface of Moor family history

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What is the average Moor lifespan?

Between 1955 and 2004, in the United States, Moor life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Moor in 1955 was 32, and 83 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Moor ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Moor family tree

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