Moysay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Moysay is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Moysay family lived in Shropshire. The name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England, Moy, Normandy.

Early Origins of the Moysay family

The surname Moysay was first found in Shropshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The earliest reference to the name was Jeanne de Moy, a wealthy dowager widow of William Crispin IX, Baron of Bec in France about the year 1325. The name originated in Moy in Normandy. However, the name Moy became interpreted in northwestern England and Wales, and on the Welsh border as Moyes, Moyse, and Moses, even Moesen, the latter being a Welsh version being found in Denbigh, Llangollen and Wrexham. The name was also extended to Mostyn, and became attached to Vychan, Lord of Mostyn.

Early History of the Moysay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moysay research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1623 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Moysay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moysay Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Moy, Moye, Moys, Moyse, Moyes, Moses, Moesen, Moi and others.

Early Notables of the Moysay family

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

Migration of the Moysay family to Ireland

Some of the Moysay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Moysay family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Moysay or a variant listed above: Francois Moy who settled in Louisiana in 1719; Dennis, Edward and Hugh Moy settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1853; John Moys settled in Philadelphia in 1878.