Gaelic sept

Moore

Ó Mórdha

Also: O'More, O'Moore

“descendant of Mórdha, 'majestic'”

🏔 Laois · Laois

The sept's historic heartland, highlighted. People moved — a name can be found far from home.

The story

Chiefs of Laois and scourge of the Pale — which is why theirs was the first county ever planted (1556). Rory O'More's name became a password of the 1641 rising: 'God, Our Lady, and Rory O'More'.

Their world Around 1556 — The Tudor Conquest. Henry VIII takes the title 'King of Ireland' in 1541, and his children finish the work by sword, by plantation, and by the bargain called surrender and regrant.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Ó Mórdha
Ó — descendant of (originally grandson of)
Mórdha — the ancestor, trade or place the name is built on

Find this form in the Irish-to-English index → · What Ó and Mac actually mean

Is Moore an Irish name?

Moore is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here.

The five answers, and why it is rarely yes or no →

From Wikipedia — “Moore (surname)”

Moore is a common English-language surname. It was the 19th most common surname in Ireland in 1901 with 15,417 members. It is the 34th most common surname in Australia, 32nd most common in England, and was the 16th most common surname in the United States in 2000.

Read the full article ↗ · Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Behan · Laois Brophy · Laois Delaney · Laois Dempsey · Laois Dooley · Laois Doran · Laois Dowling · Laois Duff · Laois Dunne · Laois Fitzpatrick · Laois Gorman · Laois Grace · Laois Lalor · Laois Regan · Laois

Quick answers

Is Moore an Irish name?

Moore is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here. In Irish the name is Ó Mórdha.

What does the surname Moore mean?

Moore (Irish: Ó Mórdha) means “descendant of Mórdha, 'majestic'”. Origin: Gaelic sept.

Where in Ireland is the surname Moore from?

The historic homeland of the Moore name is Laois. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for Moore?

Ó Mórdha. Related spellings: O'More, O'Moore.

Looking for the Moore family crest? Read this first — arms belong to people, not surnames, and the honest version is more interesting. Tracing Moore ancestors? The step-by-step guide.

Not your spelling? Try the full A–Z. Know more about the Moore name? Add to the story.