Position:Home>Genealogy> What is the background/history of the surname "Moths"?

Sorry, this is all I could find and it repeats that the name is probably French!. Unless you have traced your grandmother's family lineage, in Germany, back to the period that surnames began to be adopted (around the 12th!. century in most of Europe - around 1100s onward) you cannot be certain that her ancestors were not French!. 'Moth' is not a German word, in fact I cannot find any German words beginning with those letters, 'Moths' may of course be an Anglicized version of a German name, but not knowing your documented lineage it is not possible for me to say, failing that I would say that it is almost certainly a name of French origin ! And that your grandmother might even have English ancestors :o)

"Except for the difference in language, the French system of names closely resembles that of the English!. French contact with the English during the period of development of English surnames is largely responsible for the similarities!."

Surname: Moth
This interesting surname is of Old French origin, introduced into England after the Norman Conquest!. The name derives from the Old French, Middle English "mote", a moat, ditch or fortified stronghold, and was originally given as a topographical name to one who resided by such a fortification, or as a locational name to someone from any of the places in France named with this word!. The surname is first recorded in the latter half of the 13th Century (see below) and can also be found as Mott, Motte, Mote and Mothe!. Hugo Mott is noted in the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire (1379)!. Recordings of the surname from London Church Registers include: the marriage of Richard Moth and Betteris Back on January 25th 1562 at St!. Peter's, Cornhill; the marriage of Arnold Moth and Maude Wilding on June 12th 1564 at St!. Lawrence Pountney; and the christening of Robert, son of Rychard Moth, on February 4th 1569 at St!. Nicholas', Cole Abbey!. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Moth, which was dated 1273, in the "Hundred Rolls of Norfolk", during the reign of King Edward 1, known as "The Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307!.

Edit:
The French Revolution sparked a new war between France and several of its Eastern neighbors, including Prussia and Austria!. Following the Peace of Basel in 1795 with Prussia, the west bank of the Rhine was ceded to France!.
Napoleon I of France relaunched the war against the Empire!. In 1803, under the "Reichsdeputationshauptschluss" (a resolution of a committee of the Imperial Diet meeting in Regensburg), he abolished almost all the ecclesiastical and the smaller secular states and most of the imperial free cities!. New medium-sized states were established in south-western Germany!. In turn, Prussia gained territory in north-western Germany!.
During the Napoleonic Wars, the French dissolved the Holy Roman Empire!. They did not only reorganize the German territories and thereby significantly reduced the number of states to 39, but also enforced a political system influenced by the ideals of the French revolution!.
http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/History_of_!.!.!.

Bad Langensalza, Thuringia, is not actually that far from the modern French border, about 200 miles!. Many factors would have influenced how far people travelled, for example, if
your ancestor Moths was in the French army, he may well have been in Germany as a soldier, married, and stayed there, pure supposition I know, but some people did travel long distances a great deal more than is generally realised today!. I also repeat that, the German language does not have the 'th' sound, as in Moths, that is why generally German people often have difficulty with words like 'this' and 'that', saying 'zis' for this or 'zat' for that !
You say 'Moths' is pronounced 'Moats', pretty much exactly the way it would be pronounced in France, and also the way a German would probably have to pronounce it, 'Motz' ! And as suggested, is it's origin in the above description, moat or 'mote' !Www@QuestionHome@Com

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