Mosedale Family History

Apparently from Moldsdale (Flints), the name of the valley in which stands the county town of Mold (earlier Mohaut; see Maude). It is recorded as Mohautisdale in 1275, Moldesdale in 1314, and Molysdale in 147 Ewloe, where the 1614 bearer is recorded, is in Moldsdale.

In 17th-century Cheshire, the surname occurs as Moul(d)sdale, but also as Mousdale and Mosedall, which could alternatively be spellings of the name in (2). Since name changes through folk etymology became common from the 16th century onward, it is possible that Moul(de)sdale etc. in Flints, Cheshire, and elsewhere are in fact altered forms of the name in (2), influenced by the place-name.

From Mosedale (Cumb), which is recorded as Mossedale in 1362, or Mossdale in Hawes (NR Yorks), which is recorded as Mosedale in the 13th century. The place-names derive from Old Scandinavian mosi ‘moss, bog’ + dalr ‘valley’.

However, since post-medieval examples listed below could alternatively belong at (1) and occur well away from N England, it is not certain that this surname survived beyond the end of the medieval period.