Mosby
A surname that likely began as a place-based name, probably from a lost or obscured English locality name ending in -by.
The #4,699 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 40,899 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Mosby is usually explained as an English locational surname. The ending -by is from Old Norse and commonly means “farm” or “settlement,” while the first element is likely related to a personal name or an old place-name element that has not survived clearly in modern records. In that sense, the surname most likely meant “the settlement associated with Mos” or a similar place-name form.
History
The name is found in English records and later appears in North America through migration from Britain. Because the placename behind it is uncertain or poorly preserved, the surname is less securely traceable than many other -by names. It is best treated as a traditional English locational surname that became established as a family name before crossing the Atlantic.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The ending -by is a strong Scandinavian imprint in English place-names, especially in areas once influenced by Viking settlement.