Moore History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

There are several distinct sources of the Moore surname in Ireland. Most of the name find their roots with the Anglo-Norman “Strongbow” invasion of the 12th century. Many of these became de Mora. Others derived from the Old Irish “O Mordha,” from the word “mordha,” meaning “stately,” or “noble.” [1] The English surname Moore is derived from the personal name“More,” which is itself derived from the Old French word “maur,” meaning “Moor.”

Early Origins of the Moore family

The surname Moore was first found in Munster, where the name was firmly established shortly after the Strongbow invasion of Ireland in 1172. [1]

‘Aimergin Ua Mordha, A.D. 1026.’ O’Mordha is Anglicised O’More and More, which has now usually become Moore, The O’Mores were a powerful sept in Ireland.” [2]

“Donal Mór (d. 1194), son of Turlough, was the last King of North Munster. ” [3] The Guinness or MacGunness family claim descent from Cionga, son of Rory Mór and had a similar coat of arms complete with a gold lion on a green shield denoting their heritage. 

Moore or O’Moore were the hereditary Lords of Leix. Of this branch was Charles O’More who had a younger brother named Rory Oge who in 1587 was slain by the English.

The Moores of Rahinduffe, Queen’s County are a branch of this previous family. Of note was Anthony O’Moore who joined with the O’Neills and defeated the English army in 1598. [3]

Early History of the Moore family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moore research.

Moore Spelling Variations

During the lifetime of an individual person, his name was often spelt by church officials and medieval scribes the way it sounded. An examination of the many different origins of each name has revealed many spelling variations for the name: Moore, More, Moor, O’More, Moores, Mores, McMore, Moire, Moare, MacMoore, McMoir, Moir, Moors, O’Moore, O’Moire, McMoare, MacMoir, MacMoare, Mooer and many more.

Early Notables of the Moore family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family up to this time was Rory O’More (d. 1557) and his son Rory Og O’More, who were both Irish leaders in the wars against the English (Tudor) Kings; Rory O’Moore (Roger O’Moore, O’More, Sir Roger Moore) (c.1600-1655), an Irish landowner of ancient lineage, most notable for being one of the four principal organizers of the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

Moore World Ranking

In the United States, the name Moore is the 9^th most popular surname with an estimated 775,944 people with that name. [4] However, in Canada, the name Moore is ranked the 31^stmost popular surname with an estimated 46,790 people with that name. [5] And in Quebec, Canada, the name Moore is the 657^th popular surname. [6] Newfoundland, Canada ranks Moore as 75^th with 363 people. [7] France ranks Moore as 8,256^th with 1,000 – 1,500 people. [8]Australia ranks Moore as 36^th with 45,880 people. [9] New Zealand ranks Moore as 40^th with 5,529 people. [10] The United Kingdom ranks Moore as 31^st with 104,565 people. [11] South Africa ranks Moore as 860^th with 8,126 people. [12]

 Moore migration to the United States +

Ireland’s Great Potato Famine left the country’s inhabitants in extreme poverty and starvation. Many families left their homeland for North America for the promise of work, freedom and land ownership. Although the Irish were not free of economic and racial discrimination in North America, they did contribute greatly to the rapid development of bridges, canals, roads, and railways. Eventually, they would be accepted in other areas such as commerce, education, and the arts. An examination of immigration and passenger lists revealed many bearing the name Moore: 

Moore Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• Mr. Leonard Moore, (More) who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship “Bona Nova” [13]
• Richard Moore, who arrived in Massachusetts in 1620 [14]
• Mr. John Moore, aged 24, who arrived in New England in 1635 aboard the ship “Planter” [13]
• Mr. Thomas Moore, (b. 1609), aged 26, British settler traveling aboard the ship “Constance” arriving in Virginia in 1635 [15]
• Isaac Moore (1622-1705), who immigrated to America aboard the Increase in 1635 to become one of the founding settlers of Norwalk, Connecticut and served in the General Court of the Connecticut Colony from Norwalk in the October 1657 session

Moore Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

• Cornelius Moore, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 [14]
• Aaron Moore, who immigrated to Virginia in 1744
• William Moore, who emigrated from Ireland to New England in 1745
• Colin Moore, listed as a Scot banished to the America colonies in 1747
• Charles Moore, a bonded passenger who settled in America in 1749

Moore Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Alex Moore, who sailed to America from Northern Ireland in 1805
• Patrick Moore, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1808 [14]
• David Moore, aged 30, who landed in South Carolina in 1812 [14]
• Ann Moore, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1812
• Adam Moore, aged 28, who landed in New York in 1812 [14]

Moore Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Mr. James Henry Moore, (b. 1884), aged 19, Cornish decorator travelling aboard the ship “St Paul” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 28th June 1903 en route to Butte, Montana, USA [16]
• Mr. Joseph Moore, (b. 1882), aged 23, American miner returning from Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship “Philadelphia” arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Allegan, Michigan, USA [16]
• Mr. Henry Moore, (b. 1880), aged 25, Cornish mason travelling aboard the ship “St Paul” arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to New York, USA [16]
• Mr. Samuel James Moore, (b. 1884), aged 21, Cornish settler, from Camborne, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship “New York” arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 9th April 1905 en route to Painesdale, Michigan, USA [16]

 Moore migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were: 

Moore Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

• William Moore, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
• Ann Moore, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
• Daniel Moore, who arrived in Anapolis (Annapolis), Nova Scotia in 1760
• Mr. John Moore U.E. born in Massachusetts, USA from Massachusetts, USA who settled in St. John River, New Brunswick c. 1783 he went with the British Army to Halifax in 1776 [17]
• Mr. Robert Moore U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 [17]

Moore Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

• Joseph Moore, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1821
• Mary A Moore, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1826
• Andrew Moore, his wife Sarah and their four children, who settled in Canada from Ulster in 1831
• Alfred Moore, who arrived in Canada in 1832
• Peter Moore, aged 15, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig “Dorcas Savage” from Belfast, Ireland

 Moore migration to Australia+

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: 

Moore Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

• Mr. Abraham Moore, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Barwell” in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia[18]
• Miss Elizabeth Moore, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years , transported aboard the “Britannia III” on 18th July 1798, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [19]

Moore Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mr. John Moore, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the “Earl Cornwallis” in August 1800, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [20]
• Mr. John Moore, Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the “Atlas” on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [21]
• Mr. Tristram Moore, (b. 1765), aged 36, Irish apothecary who was convicted in Londonderry, Ireland for life for being a Irish rebel, transported aboard the “Atlas” on 29th November 1801, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1839 [21]
• Miss Mary Moore, British Convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the “Experiment” on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [22]
• Miss Mary Moore, (Archer, Auher), Irish convict who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the “Experiment” on 21st January 1809, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [23]

 Moore migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: 

Moore Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

• Frederick George Moore, aged 25, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Bengal Merchant” in 1840 [24]
• Mr. Moore, Australian settler travelling from Sydney aboard the ship “Delhi” arriving in New Zealand in 1840 [25]
• Mr. George Moore, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship “Martha Ridgway” arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 14th November 1840 [25]
• William Moore, aged 30, a farmer, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship “Fifeshire” in 1842 [26]
• Isabel Moore, aged 32, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship “Fifeshire” in 1842 [26]

Contemporary Notables of the name Moore (post 1700) +

• Demi Moore (b. 1962), née Guynes, legendary American multiple award winning film actress, known for Blame It on Rio (1984), St. Elmo’s Fire (1985), and About Last Night… (1986), Ghost (1990) and many more
• Gordon Earle Moore (1929-2023), American co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of Intel Corporation, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, perhaps best known for identifying Moore’s Law which noted that the number of transistors per square inch on integrated circuits had doubled every year since their invention
• Reginal Dennis Benjamin “Reggie” Moore (1981-2023), American-born Angolan basketball player
• Henry Dewell Moore (1934-2023), American NFL football defensive back/halfback who played two seasons for the New York Giants (1956) and the Baltimore Colts (1957)
• Billie Jean Moore (1943-2022), American college basketball coach, the first coach in women’s basketball history to lead teams from two different schools to national championships, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame
• Jeff Moore (1966-2022), American NBA basketball player drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the third round of 1988 NBA Draft
• Eleanor Moore (1933-2022), née Warner, American All-American Girls Professional Baseball League pitcher who played from 1950 through 1954 from Long Point, Illinois
• Kenneth Clark “Kenny” Moore (1943-2022), American Olympic road running athlete and journalist from Portland, Oregon who ran the marathon at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics
• Marshall W. Moore (1929-2022), American politician and civil engineer, born in Forbes, North Dakota
• Martin B. Moore Sr. (1937-2022), American politician from Alaska who served in the Alaska House of Representatives from 1971 to 1972

The Moore Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Conlan-a-bu
Motto Translation: Conlan forever.