The Moffatt surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,542 people carried this name — #7,339 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 64,900 people counted. That is up 4% from 4,377 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Moffatt surname

Variant of Moffat.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Moffatt» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Moffatt’.

His entry covers Moffat and Moffatt.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 536 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 68 births for the Moffatt name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 3,000 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The count includes the spellings Moffat and Moffett and Moffet and Moffitt and Moffit. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim, Sligo, and Tyrone.”

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 45
Connacht 16
Leinster 7

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Moffatt was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Cumberland and Westmorland: 39 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 256. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cumberland and Westmorland 39
Northumberland 11

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In print

Moffatt in American newspapers,
1901–1916.

Newspaper page from The Butte Inter Mountain carrying the name Moffatt
The Butte Inter Mountain 1901-07-05
Newspaper page from The Wiggins Enterprise carrying the name Moffatt
The Wiggins Enterprise 1916-04-01
Newspaper page from Tensas Gazette carrying the name Moffatt
Tensas Gazette 1916-03-24

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 43,171 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Moffatt in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

39,880 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Moffatt. The most, 5,341, date from the 1900s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Queensland, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 12,313
Victoria 11,154
Queensland 10,817
South Australia 2,861
Western Australia 1,746
Tasmania 826
ACT (Canberra) 81
Northern Territory 38

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Moffatt.

Who carried it

People named Moffatt,
with a public archive behind them.

  • George Moffatt
    George Moffatt 1787–1865 · politician
  • Ansil Moffatt d. 1935 · writer
  • John Marks Moffatt d. 1802 · antiquarian
  • John Marks Moffatt d. 1802 · antiquarian
  • John Moffatt d. 1849 · naval officer
  • Lilly Moffatt d. 1966

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Moffatt,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,138 records

1,138 records of the Moffatt name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 410
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 200
  • Other U.S. records 528
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record George M. Moffatt

    Born 1922 in Vermont. Enlisted 1942 at Rutland; payroll clerk from Franklin County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2001, buried at St Albans Bay Cemetery, Saint Albans, Vermont.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary E. Moffatt

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the City of Rome from Glasgow and Moville, aged 18; servant. From Cavan, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A U.S. Army record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864
    Example: U.S. burial record, 1864
    Burial record Robert J. Moffatt

    U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War. Born 1931, died 1993; buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 1,138 records for Moffatt in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864, U.S. National Archives (public domain).

Australia1,319 records

1,319 records of the Moffatt name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 693
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 381
  • Other Australian records 245
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record James Moffatt

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Bangalore, arriving 1850.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Richd Moffatt

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Bombay, aged 24; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Evelyn Ruth Moffatt

    Gentlewoman of Toorak, Victoria; died 1974.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,319 records for Moffatt in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada530 records

530 records of the Moffatt name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 404
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 38
  • Other Canadian records 88
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Moffatt

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Moravian, landing at Quebec, bound for Port Hope, Ontario; Irish.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Alexander Moffatt

    Buried in 1934 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 65.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Alvona Florence Moffatt

    Died 1969 in Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 530 records for Moffatt in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom50 records

50 records of the Moffatt name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 38
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 9
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record James Moffatt

    Buried in 1807 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 56.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Thomas Campbell Moffatt

    Born 1883. Killed or died by 1921. Named in the George Heriot's School roll of honour, 1914-1919.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Moffatt

    Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 50 records for Moffatt in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand10 records

10 records of the Moffatt name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 7
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 2
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Alice May Moffatt

    Born 1911, died 2000; ashes interred at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Irene Rose Moffatt

    Died 1947, aged 21; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Millar Moffatt

    Died 1967, aged 91; buried at Addington Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 10 records for Moffatt in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the Moffatt name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Marij Ann Moffatt

    Married in 1839 in Amsterdam.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with Moffatt.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Moffatt.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Moffatt is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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