Mooss History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Etymology of Mooss

What does the name Mooss mean?

The distinguished and ancient German surname Mooss is derived from the German word "moos," meaning "moss." This name is given to over two hundred "flurnamen," or parcels of land, located throughout Swabia (modern Baden-Württemburg) and Bavaria, all denoting swamp areas; thus, the progenitor of the surname Mooss may have been someone who hailed from one of these regions. "moos" is also an element found in the names of many German cities, such as Moosau, Moosbach, and Moosberg; in this instance, it is likely that the name was first borne by a native of one of these cities.

Early Origins of the Mooss family

The surname Mooss was first found in South Germany, where the ancestral home of the Mooss family is thought to be located. The origins of the surname make it probable that several branches of the Mooss family emerged independently during the Middle Ages. It was a common practice of the time to refer to a new resident of a city by the name of his hometown; thus, it is likely that many of the first bearers of the name Mooss were natives of one of the swamp areas known as Mooss or from one of the cities with the element "moos" in its name, who had settled elsewhere, and were then referred to by the name of their hometown.

Early History of the Mooss family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mooss research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1242, 1269, 1469, 1500, 1647, 1710, 1768 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Mooss History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mooss Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Moos, Mooser, Moser, Mose, Moose and others.

Early Notables of the Mooss family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mooss Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mooss family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Niels Moos, who emigrated from Moravia to New York in 1761; Wilhelm Moos, a Hessian mercenary who settled in Newfoundland after fighting in the American Revolution, Anna Moos, who emigrated from Hessen to Texas in 1844.