Show ContentsMoffeart History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Moffeart was first used as a surname in the Scottish/English Borderlands by the Strathclyde-Briton. The first Moffeart family 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 Moffeart means, from the long field.

Early Origins of the Moffeart family

The surname Moffeart 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 Moffeart family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moffeart 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 Moffeart History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moffeart Spelling Variations

Medieval Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. This is due to the fact that scribes in that era spelled according to the sound of words, rather than any set of rules. Moffeart 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 Moffeart family

Notable 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 Moffeart Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Moffeart family to Ireland

Some of the Moffeart 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 Moffeart family

Many Scots were left with few options other than to leave their homeland for the colonies across the Atlantic. Some of these families fought to defend their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. Others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these families have recently been able to rediscover their roots through Clan societies and other Scottish organizations. 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.



  1. 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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