indicate the level to which a name has been verified.
Meaning & History
The surname was first recorded in the 14th century as Mozahrt, and later as Motzhardt in Germany. It is a compound word, the first part of which is Middle High German mos, also spelt mosz, and meaning “bog, marsh” in southern dialects (compare modern German Moos). The second part is the common name-forming suffix -hart. It was used as a negative nickname for dirty or sloppy people.