MOSES
Moses is a surname of Hebrew origin, derived from the biblical name Moshe, which means “drawn out” or “taken out.” The name is directly associated with the Israelite prophet and leader who guided the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt.
The surname is frequently borne by individuals of Jewish descent and is recorded among Jewish communities worldwide. In the Jewish tradition, the name has Ashkenazic variants such as Moshe and Mozes.
In English usage the name appears in several variants, including Moyses, Moyse, Moise and Moyce. These spellings reflect the adaptation of the original Hebrew to English orthography and pronunciation over the centuries.
Historiographical evidence shows that the surname first entered the British Isles in the early twelfth century. It is recorded as Moyses in the Domesday Book of 1086 and later appears in the medieval vernacular form Mosse. The earliest documented instance of the family name is that of Almer Mosse, dated circa 1153 in the records of St. Benet of Holme, Norfolk, during the reign of King Stephen.
A notable example from the later medieval period is Master Mosse, a member of the Jewish community in London, who is recorded in the Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire in 1260. Further evidence of the name’s continued use is found in the christening of Rachel Moses, an infant, on 13 February 1549 at St. Stephen's, Coleman Street, London.
Two scholarly interpretations of the etymology have been advanced. The first derives from the Hebrew root msh, meaning “to draw,” a reference to the infant Moses being drawn out of the Nile by the Pharaoh’s daughter. The second proposes an Egyptian origin, from the element moshe meaning “conceived by (a certain god)”.
In contemporary Britain the surname Moses remains in use, most often in its original form. It is considered a surname of biblical heritage and is recognised both within Christian and Jewish contexts for its ancient and historically significant roots.
Typical given names associated with the Moses surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Philip
- Richard
- Stephen
- Thomas
- William
Female
- Caroline
- Elizabeth
- Jennifer
- Joanne
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Sharon
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Moes
- Mose
- Mos
- Moe
- Moos
- Mowe
- Mewes
- Meus
- Mews
- Mo
- Mouse
- Mowes
- Mous
- Mowse
- Maces
- Macioce
- Macis
- Macius
- Mascis
- Mases
- Masese
- Masis
- Massas
- Masses
- Masseys
- Massis
- Massos
- Masuzzo
- Mayzes
- Mazas
- Mazes
- Mazies
- Mazouz
- Mazouzi
- Meeus
- Mesas
- Mesias
- Messies
- Messous
- Mezies
- Mices
- Moises
- Moisis
- Mossaz
- Mosses
- Mouzas
- Moyses
- Moysis
- Mozas
- Moze
- Mozes
- Mues
- Musisi
- Muzas
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Moses in...
Braille
⠍⠕⠎⠑⠎
Morse
-----.......
Semaphore
There are approximately 5,112 people named Moses in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,849th most common surname in Britain. Around 79 in a million people in Britain are named Moses.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Moses
- Victor Moses - Nigerian football player
- Albert Moses - Actor (1937 to 2017)
- Remi Moses - Football player
- Jamie Moses - Musician
- Adie Moses - Football player
- Tom Moses - Bicycle racer
- William Stainton Moses - Medium (1839 to 1892)
- James John Hamlyn Moses - Politician (1873 to 1946)
- Tim Moses - Cricketer now music teacher
- Charles Moses - Australian public servant (1900 to 1988)
- Glyn Moses - Welsh rugby union and rugby league football player
- Aaron Moses-Garvey - St Kitts and Nevis international football player
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.