Contents [hide]

Moodie History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Moodie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The history of the name Moodie begins in the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for a bold or impetuous person. The surname Moodie is derived from the Old English word modig, which means brave, impetuous, or bold. Occasionally, the surname Moodie is derived from the female personal name Melodia. In this case, this name is a metronymic surname, which is derived from the name of the mother. 1 2

Early Origins of the Moodie family

The surname Moodie was first found in Devon, where the source Old English Bynames lists Alwine Modi as living there c. 1100-1130. A few years later in Nottinghamshire, Godric Modi was listed c.1150. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists Adam Mody, Oxfordshire; Roger Mody, Salop (Shropshire); and Simon Modi, Cambridgeshire. In Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Johannes Mody, husband; Thomas Mody and Sibota uxor ejus; and Thomas Mody and Agnes uxor ejus. 1

"Moody is an ancient name that was represented in the reign of Edward I. by Mody and Mudy in Norfolk, and by Mody and Modi in Oxfordshire and Wilts (H. R.). Probably the Suffolk and Yorkshire name of Mudd or Mudde is another form of this name. Moody is a name that has also a home in the south and west of England in Hampshire and Somerset. William Moody possessed 29 acres in Partney, Lincolnshire, in 1616; and there was a John Moody, Esq., of Scremby, in this county, about 1750. The name of Moody was represented by Mody or Modi in the neighbouring county of Wiltshire 600 years ago." 4

We would be remiss if we did not mention of the family in Scotland. There, the first on record was "Johannes Modi [who] served on an inquest made at Peebles in 1262." 5

"William Mudy, merchant, had a safe conduct to visit England in 1365 with four companions, and William Mudy armiger, with two horsemen in 1367-1368. Sorlet, rector of Assend (Assynt) witnessed the charter of Bishop William (Mudy) to his brother-german Gilbert Mudy in 1455. Thome Mwdy and Robert Mwdy appear in Brechin in 1450, the former held land there in 1461 and in 1496 John Mwdy held land there. Mudy occurs in Perth in 1499, William Mwdye was chamberlain of Orkney in 1563, and Robert Mudie had a charter of part of the lands of Maistertoun in 1600. The direct line in Forfarshire endea on the death of John Mudie of Pitmuies in 1876. George Mudy was enrolled burgess of Dundee in 1576, and a burial place for Mudies was erected there in 1602." 5

Early History of the Moodie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moodie research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1297, 1428, 1563, 1600, 1637, 1639, 1727, 1812 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Moodie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moodie Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Moodie are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Moodie include: Moody, Moodye, Moodie, Mudy, Mudie and others.

Early Notables of the Moodie family

Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Moodie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moodie Ranking

In the United States, the name Moodie is the 15,115^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Moodie family to Ireland

Some of the Moodie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 328 words (23 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moodie migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Moodie or a variant listed above:

Moodie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Moodie, who arrived in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1760 7
John Moodie, who settled in Philadelphia in 1775
John Moodie, aged 18, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1775 7

Moodie migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Moodie Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Robert Moodie (1818-1911), Scottish settler of Bells Corners, Ottawa, Ontario; one of his descendants, D. Aubrey Moodie went on to become known as the "Father of Nepean"

Moodie migration to Australia +

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

Moodie Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Cecilia Moodie, (Beath), Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 25th November 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8

Moodie 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:

Moodie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

T. Moodie, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 9
Mr. James Moodie, (b. 1838), aged 27, British tailor travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 1st January 1866 9
Mr. William Moodie, (b. 1851), aged 23, British settler travelling from England aboard the ship "Varuna" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th May 1874 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Moodie (post 1700) +

Thomas H. Moodie (1878-1948), American politician, 19th Governor of North Dakota in 1935
Tanya Moodie, English actress, known for her roles in Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness (2003), Archangel (2005) and Neverwhere (1996)
Wesley Moodie (b. 1979), South African former professional tennis player ranked No. 57 (10 October 2005)
Robert Moodie (1818-1911), Scottish early settler of Bells Corners, Ottawa, Canada
Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Moodie (1778-1837), British Army officer who settled in Canada and was fatally shot by supporters of William Lyon Mackenzie in the opening incidents of the Upper Canada Rebellion
John Moodie Jr. (1859-1944), Canadian textile manufacturer, executive, hobbyist and founder of the Hamilton Automobile Club
Robert Alexander "Rob" Moodie (b. 1938), New Zealand lawyer, former police officer and politician, Mayor of Manawatu (1995-1998)
Jason Moodie (b. 1974), Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played from 1997 to 2007
Graeme Cochrane Moodie (1924-2007), Scottish founding Professor of the Department of Politics at the University of York in 1963
Douglas Aubrey Moodie (1908-2008), Canadian politician, reeve of Nepean Township, Ontario (1954-1969), known as the "Father of Nepean", eponym of Moodie Drive
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Moodie family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Ralph Troupe Moodie, English 1st Class Passenger residing in Gainesville, Texas, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 11

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/