The Moseley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 17,130 people carried this name — #2,112 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 17,200 people counted. That is up 2% from 16,736 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Moseley surname

A variant of Mosley.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Moseley» (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 Mossley’.

An early record he cites: Willelmus de Moslay, 1379 — Poll Tax, West Riding of Yorkshire.

His entry covers Moseley, Mosley and Mosely.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 542 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

118 families named Moseley, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 655 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 4 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

Virginia 42
North Carolina 21
Connecticut 20
Massachusetts 16
South Carolina 10
Vermont 4
New York 2
Maine 1
Pennsylvania 1
Maryland 1

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

Moseley in American newspapers,
1890–1925.

Newspaper page from Daily Tobacco Leaf-chronicle carrying the name Moseley
Daily Tobacco Leaf-chronicle 1890-04-11
Newspaper page from South Bend News-times carrying the name Moseley
South Bend News-times 1925-03-06
Newspaper page from The News & Observer carrying the name Moseley
The News & Observer 1904-07-31

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 98,498 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Moseley in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2000s.

34,266 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Moseley. The most, 8,845, 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 Western Australia, at 3.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Western Australia 11,592
South Australia 11,166
New South Wales 7,948
Victoria 1,785
Queensland 1,454
Tasmania 229
ACT (Canberra) 65
Northern Territory 5

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

Who carried it

People named Moseley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Humphrey Moseley d. 1592 · politician
  • Walter Moseley d. 1850
  • Catherine Moseley d. 1777
  • Mary Moseley d. 1830
  • Oswald Moseley d. 1622
  • Edward Moseley d. 1779

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

In the public record

People named Moseley,
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 States1,322 records

1,322 records of the Moseley name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 690
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 248
  • Other U.S. records 384
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record William Francis Moseley

    Born 1949; from Moorestown, New Jersey. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1967 in Dinh Tuong, South Vietnam. Buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey.

    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 Harry A. Moseley

    Born 1915 in Pennsylvania. Enlisted 1941 at Philadelphia; technician from Montgomery County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1985, buried at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Pennsylvania.

    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 George Moseley

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the City of Chester from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 30; operative. From Birmingham, England; bound for Baltimore.

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

Showing 3 of 1,322 records for Moseley 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, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). 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).

Australia337 records

337 records of the Moseley name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 190
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 54
  • Other Australian records 93
  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 Samuel Moseley

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Augusta Jessie, sailing from London in 1838. Native of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1847.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Geo Moseley

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Kate, aged 26; English.

    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 John P. Moseley

    Soldier of England; died 1915.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 337 records for Moseley in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · 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); 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).

Canada77 records

77 records of the Moseley name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 54
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 7
  • Other Canadian records 16
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William P. Moseley

    Buried in 1937 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 81.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William Alfred Moseley

    Buried in 2000 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 79.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Estelle Marie Moseley

    Died 1966 in Armdale, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 77 records for Moseley in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · 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: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom42 records

42 records of the Moseley name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 29
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 11
  • Welsh wills index cards 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Moseley

    Buried in 1851 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 73.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. 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 Fanny Matilda Moseley

    Will proved in 1894; of blk, Lancaster.

    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 A. H. Moseley

    Gunner, Royal Field Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 42 records for Moseley 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). 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 Zealand9 records

9 records of the Moseley name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 4
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 3
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Adelaide Sarah Moseley

    Buried in 1977 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 70.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Moseley

    Died 1923, aged 59; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas Moseley

    Died 1934, aged 74; buried at Sydenham Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for Moseley in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Christchurch City 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).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Moseley name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Underwood Ronald Moseley

    Died 1946 in Haarlemmermeer, aged 41.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Kathleen Mary Moseley

    Married in 1946 in Krimpen aan den Ijssel.

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Midden-Holland (CC BY 4.0)

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).

France1 record

1 record of the Moseley 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 Thomas Anthony Moseley

    Born 1924 in Great Britain; died 1997 in Agen (Lot-et-Garonne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

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 Moseley.

When the index is not enough

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

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