This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'at the moor' (Anglo-Saxon, mor, a heath), from residence thereby; v. Moorhouse.

John atte Mor, Norfolk, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Adam atte More, Oxfordshire, ibid.

Fulco de la More, Huntingdonshire, ibid.

Pontius de la More, Yorkshire, ibid.

Agatha atte More, Somerset, 1337: Tax Roll.

Alicia del More, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

Johannes atte More, 1379: ibid.

1578. Married — Henrie More and Alice Simpson: St. Mary Aldermary (London).

From residence beside a moor or heath, ME. mor(e, moore. Thomas de la More was executor of the will of Dervorguilla de Balliol, 1291 (Bain, II, 535). Several of the name rendered homage in 1296: (1) Dovenal le fiz Michel More de Levenaghes. His seal bears a demon witli man's head and cock's feet and spurs, S' Dovenaldi fil Michael. (2) Adam de la More and (3) Renaud del More both of the county of Arne. The seal of Adam bears an eight-leaved flower, S' Ade de Lemor. The seals of Renaud bear (a) a hawk, and S' Reginald More, (b) a fleur-de-lys and S' Reginaldi More. (4) Gilcrist More of Ayrshire, whose seal shows a right arm with hawk on perch, ilcrist Mor. (5) Revnaud Mor of Cragg' of Lanarkshire, and (6) Symon de la More of Thangarstone (Thankerton). Adam de la More and William de la More were jurors on the lands of Lady Elena la Zuche in Conyngham, 1296 (Blair, II, p. 216). Ade More who held lands of Reltone in Rerwickshire, in 1315-21 (RMS., I, 4) may be Adam More or Moire, knight, who witnessed charters by Bruce in 1328—29 (RHM., I, 35, 37). 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 (REO., p. 16). John Mvr of Enerothyll was witness, 1460 (Ayr, p. 35), and John Mur or Muyr was vicar general of the Predicant Order in Scotland, 1469-70 (Friars Ayr, p. 52; LCD., p. 183). Johannes Mer held a tenement in Glasgow, 1458 (REG., p. 392). Patrick Mur of Cloncard, a follower of the earl of Cassilis, was respited for murder, 1526 (RSS., I, 3386), Mathow Myrre was forspekar (advocate) for John Myrre in 1541 (Prestwick, p. 58), Malleta Mer, tenant in Oswaldesdeyn, Dunbar, 1559 (ER., XIX, p. 404), and Isobell Moor of Carleton is recorded in 1760 (Kirkcudbright). The family of Mure of Rowallan became extinct in the male line in 1700. Sir William Mure, poet, John Muir, Sanskrit scholar, his brother Sir William Muir, Arnabic scholar and biographer of Mohammed, and Sir John Moore were distinguished bearers of the name. Innes (p. 34) says: "The author of Zeluco and Sir John Moore added an e to the name 'for a difference.'" Moare 1650, Mur 1508, Muyr 1539, Mwir and Mwyr 1525, Mwr 1513, Mwre 1546, Mwyre 1538, Myre 1424, and in Sweden it became Myhr (Fischer III).

(Scot.-Teut.) Dweller at a Moor [Scot.-Old English and Old Norse mór] And as that Ryall raid ovir the rude mure Him betyde ane tempest that tyme hard I tell.— The Taill of Rauf Coilyear, 13-14.

“Moor” in Scots.

(Scottish) Dweller at, or near, a moor or heath.

From residence at a boggy heath or moor. The medieval forms are Atte Mor or More, De Mora, Ad Moram.

The Scottish form of Moor. It occurs in composition with several surnames.

Great, tall.

(Gaelic.) Mor, great, chief, tall, mighty, proud. Moar, a collector of manorial rents in the Isle of Man. Moore, from moor—John o' the Moor.

A location name in Scotland.

Moore. —This name is distributed all over England excluding the south coast, where, with the exception of Devon and Kent, it is absent or singularly uncommon. Its principal homes are in East Anglia, in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire; in the north, in Cheshire and Yorkshire; in the western midlands, in Worcester and adjacent counties; and in the south - west of England, in Devonshire.