Moberly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Moberly family

The surname Moberly was first found in Cheshire at Mobberley, a parish, in the union of Altrincham, hundred of Bucklow. 1 2 The parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Motburlege and literally meant "clearing at the fortification where meetings are held," from the Old English "mot" + "burh" + "leah." 3

Moberly was held by Bigot de Loges at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book and conjecturally, the family name is descended from this ancient Norman Baron. St Wilfrid's Church, Mobberley traces it's origin to the oldest part of the church dating about 1245.

Early records revealed Patrick de Mobberley founded an Augustinian priory here in 1206 in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Wilfrid, but the priory only existed for a short time. During a restoration in 1888, remains of a Saxon church were also found. Nearby, Mobberley Old Hall is a country house that dates back to 1612.

One of the first records of the family was Patrick Moberlegh who was listed in East Cheshire c. 1220. Almost one hundred years later, William de Modburlegh was listed in Cheshire in 1308. 4 Ralph de Modberleg was listed in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1260. 5

Early History of the Moberly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moberly research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1565, 1568, 1585 and 1756 are included under the topic Early Moberly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moberly Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Moberley, Mobberley, Mobeley, Mobdurley, Mobley and others.

Early Notables of the Moberly family

More information is included under the topic Early Moberly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moberly Ranking

In the United States, the name Moberly is the 10,185^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Moberly migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Moberly Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Frank Moberly, who arrived in Ontario in 1871
Blanche Moberly, who settled in Toronto in 1871

Contemporary Notables of the name Moberly (post 1700) +

R. W. "Walter" L. Moberly (b. 1952), English theologian and professor of theology and biblical interpretation at Durham University
Charlotte Anne Elizabeth Moberly (1846-1937), English academic and writer, the first Principal of St Hugh's College, Oxford; she believed that she had slipped back in time whilst visiting the Petit Trianon in Versailles, her co-written An Adventure, a ghost story based at Versailles and became a best-seller
George Moberly (1803-1885), English divine, father of Charlotte Anne Moberly
Robert Campbell Moberly (1845-1903), English theologian, the first Principal of St Stephen's House, Oxford (1876-1878)
Frank Moberly (b. 1845), Canadian civil engineer, member of the Canadian Pacific Survey in June 1871
Clarence Wishaw Moberly (1838-1902), Canadian civil engineer, chief engineer of the Northern Railway of Canada, from Toronto to Collingwood
Sir Walter Hamilton Moberly GBE KCB DSO (1881-1974), British academic, son of Rev. Robert Campbell Moberly
Henry John Moberly (1835-1931), Canadian fur trader for the Hudson's Bay Company, eponym of Moberly Lake, British Columbia
Elizabeth Moberly, British research psychologist and theologian
Tracey Moberly (b. 1964), born Tracey Karen Wood, Welsh artist, author and radio show host
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/