The Moody surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 64,429 people carried this name — #519 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 4,580 people counted. That is up 3% from 62,344 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Moody surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the moody’.

An early record he cites: Adam Mody, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

His entry covers Moody, Moodey, Moodie and Mudie.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 539 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 13 births for the Moody name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 600 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. One of them was indexed under another spelling of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim and Down.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 9
Leinster 3
Munster 1

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

In France’s civil register

France’s register of deaths holds 27 people named Moody.

13 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 6 départements, most often Pas-de-Calais.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born

Born outside France 13
Pas-de-Calais 5
Yvelines 5
Loire-Atlantique 1
Nord 1
Paris 1
Somme 1

Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

27 people named Moody live in Switzerland.

They live in 3 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Vaud 16
Zurich 7
Valais 4

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

In the Nordic population registers

27 people named Moody is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 27

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Moody was found among the farmers of 3 counties.

It was most frequent in Somerset: 17 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 588. 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

Somerset 17
Hampshire 15
Lincolnshire 9

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 Scotland’s registers today

Moody was recorded 14 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1484th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 20. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

190 families named Moody, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,160 people lived in those households, 6.1 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 5 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 51
Maine 32
Virginia 24
North Carolina 18
New Hampshire 16
Pennsylvania 15
South Carolina 15
Maryland 7
Connecticut 6
Vermont 4
New York 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 254 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Moody in American newspapers,
1885–1902.

Newspaper page from New-york Tribune carrying the name Moody
New-york Tribune 1899-12-23
Newspaper page from National Republican carrying the name Moody
National Republican 1885-01-19
Newspaper page from Evening Star carrying the name Moody
Evening Star 1902-03-29

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 47,729 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Moody in Australian newspapers,
1800s–2000s.

71,310 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Moody. The most, 12,195, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 19,901
Queensland 15,974
Victoria 13,851
New South Wales 13,195
Western Australia 5,576
Tasmania 2,461
ACT (Canberra) 157
Northern Territory 36

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

Who carried it

People named Moody,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Andrew Moody d. 2021 · journalist
  • John Moody d. 1736
  • Frances Elizabeth Moody d. 1926
  • Letitia Moody d. 1811
  • John Moody d. 1840
  • William Moody d. 1719 · pirate

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Moody,
in the records of 7 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 States4,500 records

4,500 records of the Moody name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 2,191
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 884
  • Other U.S. records 1,425
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Francis Moody

    Born 1946; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; died of illness 1965 in South Vietnam. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Perley L. Moody

    Born 1919 in Maine. Enlisted 1942 at Portland; policeman from Cumberland County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1984, buried at Maine Veterans' Memorial Cemetery, Augusta, Maine.

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

    Arrived at New York in 1904 aboard the Grosser Kurfurst from Bremen, aged 18; student. From Adelaide, Australia, Great Britain; bound for Springfield.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 4,500 records for Moody in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,516 records

1,516 records of the Moody name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 713
  • Tasmanian Names Index 342
  • Other Australian records 461
  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 Margaret Moody

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Midlothian, sailing from Kingston in 1852. Native of Tyrone. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1857.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 George Moody

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Waterloo, sailing from Portsmouth in 1834. Native of Westminster, Middlesex. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. 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 Eliza Moody

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Tory, sailing from London in 1845. Native of Dublin, Dublin. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,516 records for Moody in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Canada495 records

495 records of the Moody name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 376
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 29
  • Other Canadian records 90
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Nancy Moody

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the L'Abondence, bound for Port Roseway, aged 14.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas Moody

    Came to Ontario in 1869 aboard the Simoons, landing at Quebec, bound for Port Hope, Ontario; English.

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

    Buried in 1968 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 75.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 495 records for Moody in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · 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 Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); 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).

United Kingdom103 records

103 records of the Moody name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 61
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 37
  • Other British records 5
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Helen Moody

    Buried in 1927 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 79.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Susannah Burling Moody

    Will proved in 1938; of Wrexham, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Douglas W. K. Moody

    Died 1915. Named in the roll of honour (1926).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 103 records for Moody 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 Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand66 records

66 records of the Moody name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 49
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 9
  • Other New Zealand records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Doreen Margaret Moody

    Died 1998, aged 72; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret Moody

    Buried in 1974 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 55.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William George Moody

    Died 1925, aged 28; buried at Havelock Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 66 records for Moody in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands21 records

21 records of the Moody name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 15
  • Dutch population registers 6
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Adriana Rosina Moody

    Born 1888 in Rotterdam. Died 1972 in Apeldoorn.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Willem Ferdinand Moody

    Married in 1883 in 's-Gravenhage; tailor.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Esperance Moody

    Died 1967 in Wageningen, aged 86.

    Open Archives, Gelders Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 21 records for Moody in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France11 records

11 records of the Moody name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Suzanne Henriette Denise Moody

    Born 1926 in Calais (Pas-de-Calais); died 1980 in Theillay (Loir-et-Cher).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Henry Ernest Moody

    Born 1909 in Maisons-Laffitte (Yvelines); died 1992 in Villers-sous-Saint-Leu (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 11 records for Moody in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Moody.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Moody 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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