Moody (surname)

Moody is an English surname. It ranks in the top 200 most common surnames in English speaking nations. It is most commonly acknowledged as being of English origin. The earliest known example dates from the 12th century in a Devonshire early English charter-where the name Alwine 'Modig' is mentioned. Recent census research suggests that the surname has been most consistently populous in Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire and also in areas of north east England.^[1] There is also a high incidence of the similar-sounding surname 'Moodie' in Scotland, in particular Orkney, although this variant, ending "ie", has possible Norse/Celtic origins. The surname Moody was also carried to areas of Ireland settled by the early English. Although the most intensive areas of occurrence match areas of dense Anglo-Saxon habitation post 1066, it is difficult to determine if the name is Anglo-Saxon or Nordic/Viking in origin, since all Germanic countries used the word 'Modig' or 'Mutig' to indicate someone who was bold, impetuous or brave. Surnames were increasingly given through the early Middle Ages to assist taxation and an increasing incidence of the name can be followed in such documents as the Hundred Rolls, early English charters and general medieval assizes associated with such actions as baronial struggles, Crusades or Angevin campaigns in France.

There was a significant incidence of the name among early American immigrants from England in the 17th century.

Some notable bearers of the Moody surname include:

Politics and government

• Arthur Moody (1891–1976), British politician
• Blair Moody (1902–1954), American politician
• Charles Moody (1792–1867), British politician
• Dan Moody (1893–1966), American politician
• Gideon C. Moody (1832–1904), American politician
• Bill Moody, American judge
• James M. Moody (1858–1901), American politician
• James Maxwell Moody (born 1940), American judge
• James Moody (loyalist) (c. 1744-1809), Canadian politician
• James S. Moody, Jr. (born 1947), American judge
• James Tyne Moody (born 1938), American judge
• Jim Moody (born 1935), American politician
• John M. Moody (died 1884), American politician
• Malcolm A. Moody (1854–1925), American politician
• Richard Moody (1813–1887), first Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony of British Columbia
• Tom Moody (politician) (1930–2008), American politician
• William Henry Moody (1853–1917), American politician and jurist
• Zenas Ferry Moody (1832–1917), American politician

Arts

• Ben Moody (born 1981), American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and actor
• Clyde Moody (1915–1989), American musician
• David Moody (born 1970), English writer
• Elizabeth Moody (actor) (1939–2010), New Zealand actress and director
• Elizabeth Moody (1737–1814), British poet and literary critic
• Ivan L. Moody (born 1980), American musician
• Ivan Moody (born 1964), British composer
• James Moody (composer) (1907–1995), Irish musician
• James Moody (saxophonist) (born 1925-died 2010),was American jazz musician
• Jim Moody (actor) (born 1949), American actor
• King Moody (1929–2001), American actor
• Laurence Moody (born c1954), English television director
• Lynne Moody (born 1950), American actress
• Micky Moody (born 1950), English guitarist
• Mootz Moody, American musician
• Ralph Moody (author) (1898–1982), American author
• Rick Moody (born 1961), American author
• Ron Moody (born 1924), English actor
• Ronald Moody (1900–1984), British sculptor
• Ruth Moody, Canadian musician
• Spencer Moody, American singer
• Susan Moody (born 1940), English novelist
• Thomas Moody (musician) (born 1970), American musician
• Tom Moody (artist), American visual artist
• William Vaughn Moody (1869–1910), American dramatist and poet

Sports

• Andrea Moody (born 1978), Canadian swimmer
• Chris Moody (born 1953), English golfer
• Emmanuel Moody (born 1987), American football running back
• Eric Moody (baseball) (born 1971), American baseball pitcher
• Frank Moody (1900–1963), Welsh boxer
• Glenn Moody (born 1964), English darts player
• Heather Moody (born 1973), American water polo player
• Helen Wills Moody (1905–1998), American tennis player
• John Moody (badminton), New Zealand badminton player
• John Moody (footballer) (1904–1963), English footballer
• Keith Moody (born 1953), American football defensive back
• Lewis Moody (born 1978), English rugby player
• Matthew Moody (born 1985), Australian rules footballer
• Mick Moody (born 1960), Irish footballer
• Orville Moody (1933–2008), American golfer
• Patricia Moody (born 1934), British canoeist
• Paul Moody (footballer) (born 1967), English footballer
• Ralph Moody (1917–2004), American racecar driver and owner
• Rick Moody (coach), American basketball coach
• Tera Moody (born 1980), American runner
• Toby Moody, British motorsport announcer
• Tom Moody (born 1965), Australian cricketer and coach
• William Moody (Paul Bearer) (born 1954), American professional wrestler and wrestling manager

Academics

• Ernest Addison Moody (1903–1975), American philosopher
• Lewis Ferry Moody (1880–1953), American engineer and professor
• Paul Dwight Moody (1879–1947), American college president
• Robert Moody (born 1941), Canadian mathematician
• Theodore William Moody (1907–1984), Irish historian

Business

• John Moody (financial analyst) (1868–1958), American financial analyst
• Sewell Moody (1834–1875), Canadian businessman
• Shearn Moody, Jr. (1933–1996), American financier
• William Lewis Moody, Jr. (1865–1954), American financier

Other

• Alexander Moody Stuart (1809–1898), Scottish minister
• Anne Moody (born 1940), American author and civil rights activist
• Brian Moody (born 1965), American automotive writer
• Dwight L. Moody (1837–1899), American evangelist and publisher
• Glyn Moody, technology writer
• Harold Moody (1882–1947), British doctor
• James Bradfield Moody (born 1976), Australian engineer
• James Paul Moody (1887–1912), British sailor and only officer to die in the Titanic disaster
• Jimmy Moody (died 1993), English mobster
• John Moody (journalist), American journalist
• Ludlow Moody (1892–1981), Jamaican doctor
• Maryon Pearson née Moody (1902–1991), wife of Canadian Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson
• Michael F. Moody (born 1941), American hymnwriter
• Patrick Moody (1966–2006), American convicted killer
• Paul Moody (inventor) (1779–1831), American inventor
• Raymond Moody (born 1944), American parapsychologist
• Ross Moody, American journalist

Fictional

• Mad-Eye Moody, a character in the Harry Potter books
• Hank Moody, a character from the television series Californication

References

1. ^ "nationaltrustnames.org.uk". http://www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk. Retrieved 8 August 2009. 

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