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![Show Contents]() Moffarte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
In ancient Scotland, Moffarte was a Strathclyde-Briton name for someone who lived in the place called Moffatt, in Scotland. The place-name is derived from the Gaelic words magh and fada, which mean field and long. Hence, the surname Moffarte means, from the long field. Early Origins of the Moffarte familyThe surname Moffarte was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), a Southern area, bordering on England that today forms part of the Dumfries and Galloway Council Area, at Annandale where the first on record was Nicholas de Mufet who began his life as a simple cleric and was first recorded as witness to a charter by Walter, bishop of Glasgow, some time before 1232. Approximately twenty years later, in 1250, he was made Archdeacon of Theuidale and eventually, in 1268, he was made Bishop of Glasgow. After only two years of holding the position of bishop, he died, in the year 1270. 1 Early History of the Moffarte familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moffarte research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1348, 1467, 1553, 1604, 1795, 1815, 1870, 1883 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Moffarte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Moffarte Spelling VariationsPrior to the first dictionaries, scribes spelled words according to sound. This, and the fact that Scottish names were repeatedly translated from Gaelic to English and back, contributed to the enormous number of spelling variations in Scottish names. Moffarte has been spelled Moffatt, Maffat, Maffett, Maffet, Moffat, Moffet, Moffett, Moffert, Moffertt, Moffit, Moffitt, Merphet, Merphett, Merfet, Merfett, Murphat, Murphatt, Murphet, Murphett, Muffat, Muffatt, Muffett, Muffet, Muffit and many more. Early Notables of the Moffarte familyNotable amongst the family at this time was Thomas Muffet (also Moufet, Mouffet, or Moffet) (1553-1604), an English naturalist and physician, best known for his Puritan beliefs, his study of insects in regard to medicine; and Robert Moffat (1795-1883). Starting off as a gardener, he decided to become a missionary...
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Moffarte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Moffarte family to Ireland
Some of the Moffarte family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Moffarte familyIn such difficult times, the difficulties of raising the money to cross the Atlantic to North America did not seem so large compared to the problems of keeping a family together in Scotland. It was a journey well worth the cost, since it was rewarded with land and freedom the Scots could not find at home. The American War of Independence solidified that freedom, and many of those settlers went on to play important parts in the forging of a great nation. Among them: Jean Moffat who settled in New Jersey in 1685; Thomas Moffatt settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1712; William Moffert settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1880.
- 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)
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Scotland
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