Recorded in many spelling forms including Mos, Mose, Mosey, Moss, Mosse, Mossey, this interesting surname has two quite distinct possible origins. The first is Anglo-Saxon, and as such a topographical surname which described a person who lived by a peat bog. The derivation is from the Olde English or High German pre 7th century word "mos". Early examples of recording from this source include: David del Mos of the county of Cheshire in the year 1286; Stephen atte Mos in Staffordshire in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327; and Robert del Mosse of Derbyshire in the same year. These type of topographical surnames were among the earliest created, since both natural and man-made features in the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguishing names in the small communities of the Middle Ages. "Moss or Mosse" was also the normal medieval English vernacular form of the Hebrew given name "Moses", itself coming from the Hebrew root "msh", meaning to draw. This was a reference to the story of the infant Moses being "drawn out of water" by Pharaoh's daughter. Master Mosse was recorded as a witness in the Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire in 1260, Joseph Moss, aged nineteen, who embarked from London on the ship "Thomas and John", bound for Virginia in June 1635, was an early emigrant, whilst Robert Mose married Francis Ives at St Benets church, Pauls Wharf, city of London, on June 24th 1649. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Almer Mosse. This was dated 1153, in the Pipe Rolls of the county of Norfolk, during the reign of King Stephen of England, 1135 - 1154.

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