What’s in a name?

The origin of the surname is best explained by George Redmonds in A Dictionary of Yorkshire Surnames, published in 2015.

Redmonds outlines that various explanations of the MOXON surname have been suggested but that in 1997 he put forward the idea that ‘Moke’ (as in Mokeson which later became Moxon) was an abbreviated form of ‘Mokoc’ which came into use in the 13th century as a diminutive of Matthew.

Subsequently Steve Moxon confirmed that origin via a series of deeds in the Ronksley MSS held in the Sheffield Archives: 1333-6 Robert filius Mathei de Over Midehop, 1336 Hugh filius Robert Mokeson de Midehop.

A full account of Steve’s research was published in The Moxon Magazine in October 2002 and a more complete account of the entry in The Dictionary of Yorkshire Surnames is available in The Moxon Magazine of October 2019 (copies of both magazines are available in the Members area).

By the end of the 19th century, as can be seen from the 1891 surname distribution map, Yorkshire (primarily the West Riding) still had the highest concentration of MOXON families in England and Wales. 

However, it remains uncertain how many origins the Moxon surname may have had, and genealogists should know of the DNA tests carried out by the Moxon Society which have helped link various MOXON family trees into distinct related groups.

In the south of England, the name MOXHAM probably derives its origin from an estate known as MOXHAMS in the Great Chalfield area of Wiltshire. In 1236 Henry son of William conveyed to Thomas Cusin and Juliana his wife lands in “Mocke­sham”. Henry de Mochesam occurs as a witness in a deed probably of the time of Henry III or Edward I (i.e. between 1216 and 1307). Adam de Mockesham, who died in 1277, had held in Moxham 62 acres arable, 5 acres meadow, ⅔ acre pasture and 5½ acres wood. John de Mockesham held land in East Chalfield about I300.

Moxon Society members can read more about the Wiltshire and Ireland group here. It is believed that the Irish Moxhams descend from the Wiltshire Moxhams and the website ‘The Moxhams of Ireland’ contains a wealth of interesting and useful information.

However, DNA tests by Moxon Society Members have shown no link between the MOXHAMs of Wiltshire/Ireland and the MOXONs of Yorkshire as yet, but they have proved that the MOXHAMs of Lancashire (the county with the highest concentration of Moxhams in 1891) are definitely of the same stock as their neighbouring Yorkshire MOXON cousins.