MOFFAT
Moffat is a Scottish locational surname that originated from the town of Moffat in Dumfriesshire, within the former county of Annandale. The place name itself is believed to derive from the Gaelic words magh, meaning a plain or field, and fada, meaning long, a reference to the extended lowland on which the town stands.
The earliest recorded spelling of the name is that of Nicholas de Mufet, dated to circa 1230, in a charter witnessed in Glasgow during the reign of King Alexander the First. In later records the name appears in several forms, including Moffat, Moffet, Moffett, and Moffitt, reflecting variations in spelling adopted by different branches of the family and by scribes in various regions.
The surname is associated with a small number of early clerics who held high office in the Scottish church. Walter de Moffat is recorded as bishop of Glasgow in 1268, and another Walter de Moffat is listed as archdeacon of Lothian in 1348. These clerical figures indicate that the name was held by a minority of devout Christians, even as the wider Moffatt clan was more commonly noted for its involvement with the Border Reivers, a group that raided across the Anglo‑Scottish frontier for three centuries.
In 1587 a Scottish register identified the “Moffettis of the West Marche” as one of the unruly border clans, whose activities were deemed necessary to control. The historical legacy of the Moffatt clan is preserved in their heraldic arms, described heraldically as a black field with a silver saltire and a silver chief.
Throughout the centuries the surname spread beyond the Lowlands. It remains most common in Scotland, especially south of the Forth–Clyde river system, but significant concentrations are also found in England, Ireland, the United States, Canada, and Australia. The dispersal of the name reflects patterns of migration from Scotland across the British Isles and to the wider world.
In contemporary times several individuals of note bear the surname. Among the most widely recognised is Steven Moffat, a television writer and producer celebrated for his work on series such as Doctor Who and Sherlock. His achievements have brought renewed attention to a name rooted in medieval Scottish history.
Typical given names associated with the Moffat surname
Male
- Alan
- Alexander
- Andrew
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Robert
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Anne
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Janet
- Jean
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Moffatt
- Moffa
- Mofat
- Mofatt
- Maffat
- Maffet
- Maffett
- Maffit
- Maffitt
- Maffott
- Maftei
- Mahfood
- Mahfoud
- Mavitta
- Meffet
- Mevada
- Mofa
- Moffet
- Moffett
- Mofffat
- Moffit
- Moffitt
- Moffoot
- Moffot
- Moffott
- Mofidi
- Moufid
- Moufti
- Movat
- Movatt
- Movet
- Moviett
- Muffat
- Muffatt
- Muffet
- Muffett
- Muffit
- Muffitt
- Mufid
- Mufta
- Mufti
- Mvittie
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Moffat in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 8,688 people named Moffat in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,090th most common surname in Britain. Around 133 in a million people in Britain are named Moffat.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: Celtic
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: Scotland
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Gaelic
Famous people named Moffat
- Steven Moffat - Scottish television writer and producer
- Donald Moffat - Actor (1930 to 2018)
- Geraldine Moffat - Actress
- Aidan Moffat - Scottish musician
- Robert Moffat - Scottish missionary (1795 to 1883)
- Alistair Moffat - Journalist
- Michael Moffat - Scottish football player
- James Moffat - Writer (1922 to 1993)
- Howard Unwin Moffat - Rhodesian Prime Minister (1869 to 1951)
- Anne Moffat - Scottish politician
- Gwen Moffat - Writer
- Adam Moffat - Scottish football player
- John Moffat - Royal Navy officer (1919 to 2016)
- Aiden Moffat - Racing driver
- Graham Moffat - Suffragist, playwright and director (1866 to 1951)
- Bobby Moffat - Football player
- Jim Moffat - Scottish football player and manager
- Ivan Moffat - Screenwriter (1918 to 2002)
- Stuart Moffat - Scottish rugby union player
- Douglas Moffat - Cricketer (1843 to 1922)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.