Contents [hide]

Moar History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Moar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The Moar surname in Scotland is thought to have been a topographic name for someone who resided near a moor, or heath. 1 In Gaelic, Mor means great or big; therefore, a scribe may have mistaken the adjective Mor as a surname More or Muir. This may explain the occurrence of the surname Muir, or a variant in Northern Scotland.

The name Muir would seem out of place in that region because it holds a meaning of "living by a moor or heath," not the typical landscape of the highlands. Judging by its meaning, Muir is a local name of the south that described the area, in which the original bearer lived or held land. 2

Early Origins of the Moar family

The surname Moar was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland. Thomas de la More was the executor of the will of Devorguilla de Balliol in 1291. While the first spelling of the name was More, it gradually evolved to Muir which became more popular, and by 1300 the name Muir had become the preferred spelling. Donald, Adam, Renaud, Gilchrist and Simon Muir, all rendered homage on behalf of their Clan to King Edward I of England on his brief conquest of Scotland in 1296.

"Adam de la More and William de la More were jurors on the lands of Lady Elena la Zuche in Conyngham, 1296. Ade More who held lands of Reltone in Rerwickshire, in 1315-1321 may be Adam More or Moire, knight, who witnessed charters by Bruce in 1328-1329. Elizabeth Mere, daughter of Sir Adam Mure of Rowallan, became queen of King Robert 11, 1347. Adam of Mwre was juror on inquest in Kirkwall, 1369. John Mvr of Enerothyll was witness, 1460, and John Mur or Muyr was vicar general of the Predicant Order in Scotland, 1469-1470 ." 2

Early History of the Moar family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moar research. Another 178 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1458, 1526, 1541, 1559, 1594, 1657, 1700, 1740, 1753, 1760, 1765, 1771, 1787, 1793, 1798, 1800, 1810, 1812, 1822, 1829, 1869, 1887, 1890 and 1959 are included under the topic Early Moar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moar Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Muir, Mure, Moor, Moore, Mure, More, Moorman and many more.

Early Notables of the Moar family

Notable amongst the family at this time was Sir William Mure (1594-1657), Scottish writer and politician; John Muir, a Sanskrit scholar, and his brother Sir William Muir, who was an Arabic scholar and biographer of Mohammed; and Edwin Muir (1887-1959), a noted poet and critic.Thomas Muir (1765-1798), parliamentary reformer, was born at Glasgow on 24 Aug. 1765, being the only son of Thomas Muir, a flourishing tradesman, who in 1753 published a pamphlet on England's foreign trade. He was educated at Glasgow grammar school and at the university, intending at first to enter the church, but ultimately deciding on the bar...
Another 156 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Moar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Moar family to Ireland

Some of the Moar family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moar migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Moar Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Alexander Moar, aged 18, who landed in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1775 3

Moar Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Solomon Moar, aged 25, who settled in America, in 1894

Moar Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Hilda Margerita Moar, aged 13, who settled in America from North Yell, Scotland, in 1920
William Moar, who landed in America from Liverpool, in 1920
Bella Florence Moar, aged 11, who immigrated to the United States from North Yell, Scotland, in 1920
Daniel J. Moar, who immigrated to America from Liverpool, in 1920
Emilia Catherina Moar, aged 54, who immigrated to the United States from North Yell, Scotland, in 1920
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Moar migration to Australia +

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

Moar Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Moar, aged 37, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Charlotte Jane" 4
Andrew Umphray Moar, aged 16, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Charlotte Jane" 4
Margaret Moar, aged 19, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Charlotte Jane" 4

Moar 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:

Moar Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

A. M. Moar, aged 34, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Howrah" in 1874
Andrew J. Moar, aged 36, a fisherman, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1874
Mary B. Moar, aged 36, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Moar (post 1700) +

Marjory "May" Moar (1825-1894), born May Hectorson, a British crofter in the Shetland Isles who was awarded an RNLI silver medal for rescuing fishermen off the island of Yell
Kelly Moar, Canadian lawyer and judge appointed to the Provincial Court of Manitoba (2005)
Brendan Moar, Australian television host

Historic Events for the Moar family +

HMS Royal Oak

James William Moar (1920-1939), British Stoker 2nd Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 5

The Moar Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Duris non frangor
Motto Translation: I am not disheartened by difficulties.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
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)
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CHARLOTTE JANE 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/charlottejane1852.shtml
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html