Surname Mosley - Meaning and Origin

Mosley: What does the surname Mosley mean?

Mosley is an English surname, derived from the Old English language. The name has geographical origins, coming from a combination of two Old English words - "mos" which means 'peat or marshy' and "leah" which means 'wood or clearing'. Therefore, the last name Mosley can be translated to 'clearing in the marsh'.

The name Mosley was originally used to denote someone who was residing near, or in the middle of a peat bog or lived close to a clearing in the woods. As it was common in past centuries to refer to individuals by their geographical locations or landmarks, the surname Mosley would have been attributed to people living in these locations.

Moreover, there are several places in England named Mosley or Moseley, such as in West Midlands and Greater Manchester. These place names are also derived from the same Old English words, and it's likely the surname Mosley originates from these locations. Over time, as people moved around, they carried their surnames with them - hence the distribution of the name Mosley today.

Mosley: Where does the name Mosley come from?

The last name Mosley is most commonly found in the United States of America today. According to data from the United States Census Bureau, there are approximately 20,000 people with the last name Mosley in the United States. The Mosley family name is most heavily concentrated in Alabama and Georgia, though it is also found in many other states. As of the most recent census, there were 8067 people named Mosley in Alabama and 6819 people in Georgia.

The Mosley name is also heavily present in many other states. According to the statistics gathered, Texas has 1714 Mosleys, Tennessee has 1393, and Mississippi has 1251. Though many of these are widely spread throughout the states, there are several cities and counties with relatively high concentrations of Mosley families. According to the census, Cullman County in Alabama has 948 people with the last name Mosley, while Stewart County in Georgia is close behind with 886.

Outside of the United States, Mosley can also be found in the United Kingdom, Scotland, Canada, and other countries. There are also Mosley's present in many states in Australia. In the United Kingdom, the name is most prominently found in Warwickshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire.

All in all, it is clear that the surname Mosley is currently widely distributed throughout the United States and in other countries around the world.

Variations of the surname Mosley

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Mosley are Moseley, Mosely, Mosly, Moselie, Mossley, Mosleye, Monsley, Molsley, Moulslow, Muslee, Moselee, Mosele, Moslee, Mossely, and Moulesley.

Mosley originated in England as a toponymic surname, derived from the place named Moseley in the West Midlands area of Britain. It is thought that the name originated from the Olde English ‘Mose’ meaning a ‘marsh’ and ‘leah’ meaning ‘a woodland clearing’ so, when combined, Mosley carried the meaning of ‘marsh clearing’ or ‘marshwood’.

It is believed that the first record of the Mosley surname is in 1187 with the grant of a 'meadow in Moselega' from Hugh de Bidun to Richard the clerk. Records of people bearing the surname Mosley have survived the test of time and remained an important and relatively common English surname.

Variants of the surname Mosley include Mosely and Mosly, which are found mainly in England and Ireland. It is also quite common to find the name Moselie, which is a variant of Mosley found mainly in the United States and Canada. Other variants and spellings of Mosley include Mossley, Mosleye, Monsley, Molsley, Moulslow, Muslee, Moselee, Mosele, Moslee, Mossely and Moulesley.

Famous people with the name Mosley

• Timothy Mosley (a.k.a. Timbaland), American rapper, record producer, songwriter, DJ, and record executive
• Mike Mosley, American former baseball pitcher
• Sharleyne Mosley, American gospel and contemporary Christian recording artist
• Jeffrey Mosley, American professional basketball player
• Sonny Mosley, American professional basketball player
• Graham Mosley, American professional baseball player
• Tyson Mosley, American professional basketball player
• William Mosley, British actor
• Bob Mosley, American bass player, singer, songwriter, and record producer
• Henry Mosley, American jockey
• Shota Mosley, American professional soccer player
• Talib Kweli Greene (born Talib Kweli Mosley), American hip-hop artist
• Tyreke Mosley, American professional basketball player
• Jason Mosley, American professional basketball player
• Chet Mosley, American composer, pianist, and music producer

Other surnames

Moslehner