Explore the Family Name Moat
The meaning of Moat
English: from Middle English mote ‘moat, protective ditch’ (Old French mote, motte ‘mound, embankment’). The surname may be topographic, for someone who lived at or by a moat, or habitational, from one of many minor places so named in England and Scotland. There has probably been some confusion with Mott.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Moat in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Moat has seen slight changes in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Moat was ranked as the 38,771st most popular surname, a position that slightly increased to 38,640 by 2010—a marginal increase of 0.34 percent. The count of individuals with the surname also saw growth, increasing from 536 in 2000 to 572 in 2010, marking a rise of 6.72 percent. However, the proportion per 100,000 people decreased by 5 percent, moving from 0.2 in 2000 to 0.19 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #38,771 | #38,640 | 0.34% |
| Count | 536 | 572 | 6.72% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.2 | 0.19 | -5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Moat
Regarding ethnicity, based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the distribution of the Moat surname among different ethnic identities also underwent some changes between 2000 and 2010. The majority of those holding the Moat surname identified as White, though this percentage dropped slightly from 81.72 percent in 2000 to 80.24 percent in 2010. The second-largest ethnic identity group was Black, which experienced an increase from 13.06 percent to 13.64 percent over the same period. Those identifying as Hispanic showed the biggest growth within this timeframe, increasing by 46.56 percent to make up 1.92 percent of the total in 2010. In contrast, the percentage of people with the Moat surname who identified as belonging to two or more races declined by 18.93 percent. No individuals identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.72% | 80.24% | -1.81% |
| Black | 13.06% | 13.64% | 4.44% |
| Two or More Races | 2.8% | 2.27% | -18.93% |
| Hispanic | 1.31% | 1.92% | 46.56% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |