Moody Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Moody last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Moody last name
Meaning of the Moody last name: bold, brave. Moody is an English surname from Old English modig, which meant "bold, brave" or "proud", not gloomy. It began as a nickname for a spirited person. The last name is found across England and Scotland. A curious detail of this surname origin: the meaning of the word slowly changed over the centuries, so a name that once praised courage now sounds like a bad temper.
Arms associated with the Moody name
Animals on English shields stood for the qualities admired in them, such as the lion for courage, and that heraldic language shapes coats of arms associated with the Moody surname.
Get your full Moody family history
This is only a glimpse of the Moody story. The full Moody history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Moody coat of arms. Get the full Moody report.
Moody name FAQ
What does the Moody name mean?
Bold, brave. Common variants include Moodie, Mudie.
Where does the Moody surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States and Scotland.
Is there a Moody coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Moody coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).