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| Montagu/e Family Groups |
There are a number of major Montagu/e family groups of which I have become aware. Except for the Anglo-Normans, all of these groups have various American, Australian, etc., branches... Montagu/es can be found all over the world. I no longer believe that a particular spelling or pronunciation is necessarily indicative of a given derivation. These family groups are briefly described here, in alphabetical order:
African-American: Montague. US origin is typically Virginia, but may also include both Carolinas; probably 1620-today.
Anglo-Norman: Montacute, Mons Acutus, etc. Often prominent families; typically between 1100 and 1400; usually in England but sometimes in Wales, Isle of Man, etc.. Prominent during establishment of Norman England and the Hundred Years War.
These Anglo-Norman families apparently all were descended from Drogo.
Caribbean: Records show that many English and Irish Montagu/e's emigrated or were sent to the Caribbean - but where are these people? Did they move on? One of the more mysterious groups...
English: Montague, Montagu, Mountagu/e, Montaque, Montacue. Large group, around 1500-today; world-wide; prominently associated with the Enlightenment and establishment of the first British Empire. A large American branch exists from 1620-today, prominent in colonial Virginia and Southern cause in US Civil War; a northern branch exists as well.
Many of these people have links, to various degrees, to earlier Anglo-Norman families. Because of the rather casual manner in which surnames were adopted, these connections are not necessarily straight-forward or direct. These families did not standardize the spelling of the name until the late 1600's, at which time the Montagu form was generally (but not exclusively) adopted in England. The American branches of this group, however, generally adopted the Montague spelling.
[American members in Time-Line]
French: Montaigu, Montagu/e. Old "original" name, I know very little about this group. I consider this the Catholic branch of the French group (as opposed to Protestant Huguenots); they probably can be found throughout this millennia; the name may have been derived independently in a number of places in France. There may be significant subgroups (e.g., Brittany).
Presumably, these are the oldest families. Many of these families probably derive their name from the French town and region of Montaigu. From records of old medieval feudal levies, it would appear that Montaigus could be found in many parts of France. This may be the largest family group, but it does not occur often in the English-speaking record.
Huguenot: Montaigu, Montagu/e. French Protestants; many of which immigrated to England, Ireland, the southern US, and other places (the Netherlands?). Probably from around 1520-today. A larger and more dispersed group than one might at first expect, their names can be found in most variations of Montagu/e.
Records show that Huguenots who spelled their name Montague settled in both Ireland and the Carolinas. Some of these people may have used variations on the name such as Montagut or Montaguit.
Irish: Montague, Montagu. The name is apparently only common in the North. Although it is possible to find examples of almost all of the Montagu/e groups in Ireland (especially the north), most of these families probably adopted the name during the 1600-1700s when anglicizing Gaelic names. Much room for confusion exists in northern Ireland.
This is numerically one of the larger groups (perhaps the largest), and distribution is world-wide (this may also be the most dispersed branch); this group apparently contains many American and Australian families.
[Derivation of the Name Montague in Ireland]
Jewish: Montagu, Montaigu. Jews were expelled from England in 1290 (there were probably around 3,000; Edward I probably expelled them, along with a number of other small groups, primarily to seize their assets). Cromwell readmitted Jews to England in the 1650's (many Puritans apparently believed that the second coming was not possible until the Jews had been converted to their beliefs). Many Spanish Jews (Sephardim) fled to England from the Spanish Inquisition; from the 1700's onward many German and East European Jews (Ashkenazim) settled in England. Many of these families anglicized their names, with the name often slowly changing form over a number of generations. Some of these families naturalized their name to Montagu.
There are also French Jewish families named Montaigu, of which I know almost nothing.
Montagu/e as Title: When granted a title, one's name changes. Thus, a number of people both in England and France occur in the historical record who are called Montagu/e, but are not members of a Montagu/e family. This can be confusing...
Spanish: Montagud, Montaigu, Montagu/e. I am unclear on the origins of these families. It is not clear if these families are related to French, English, or Norman families, or if the name arose independently, as in France. Much of the Hundred Years war was fought in South-Western France. In addition, many French, Norman, and English knights took part in the mini-crusades that made up the Reconquista of Spain from the Moors.
These are the Norman families descended from Drogo. They played a large role in the history of England from 1066 to the 1400's.
Drogo (~1040~). "Friend of the family" of William the Conqueror.William de Montagu, ?1216?. One of the rebel Barons excommunicated for backing the Magna Carta.
Simon de Montacute, ?-1317. First Baron Montacute. Senior positions in Norman wars in France, Wales, and Scotland. One of the first British admirals, served in all the wars of Edward I.
William de Montacute, ?-1319. Second Baron Montacute. Scottish and Welsh Norman wars, peace negotiator. Commander of the fleet and the royal cavalry. In charge of Aquitane and Gascony (English possessions in France).
William de Montacute, 1301-1344. First (sixth) earl of Salisbury. Close confidant of Edward III, killed two in the queen-mother's chamber while arresting her ally, key role in outbreak of the Hundred Years war. Issued the "declaration" of the Hundred Years War.
Katherine/Catharine/Alys de Montacute (Katharine de Grandison), ?-~1350. Countess of Salisbury. One of the two women after which the Order of the Garter, the oldest and most prestigious English order of chivalry, is purportedly named. Virtuously resisted the advances of the king...
Simon de Montacute, ?-1345. Bishop, Oxford grad...
Joan (the fair maid) of Kent (Joan Plantagenet), 1328-1385. Wife of William de Montacute, marriage annulled directly by the pope; Princess of Wales, mother of king Richard II. The other woman after which the Order of the Garter may have been named.
William de Montacute, 1328-1397. Second (seventh) earl of Salisbury. Commander during early Hundred Years War, at Crecy and Poitiers. Last survivor of the original 25 founding Knights of the Garter. Accidentally killed his own son at a joust, divorced by the Pope from Joan of Kent.
Montagues in the March of Wales, 1330-1354 A typical feudal career.
John de Montacute, 1350?-1400. Third (eighth) earl of Salisbury. Key Lollard and lieutenant of the (now) infamous Richard II, convicted of treason. Politically liberal, he was considered an intellectual Francophile and beheaded by a mob. Lollardry involved the idea that religion should not involve image-worship, pilgrimage, prayers for the dead, rich rewards for the clergy, etc..
Thomas de Montacute/Montagu, 1388-1428. Fourth (ninth) earl of Salisbury, Henry V's field commander. The leading commander of the Hundred Years War; his life is inseparable from the Hundred Years War and vice versa. A key commander at Agincourt. He is one of the first on record to be killed by an artillery shell. He has a curious relation to Joan of Arc. His wife Alice was granddaughter of Geoffrey Chaucer.
Alice Montacute, 1409-?. Famous mother of Richard Neville, the " Kingmaker" during the War of the Roses. Married at either age fifteen or nine...
Nicholas Montacute, ~1466. A historian. He apparently belonged to the "poetic" school of historians...
Many of these people have links, to various degree, to earlier Anglo-Norman families. Because of the rather casual manner in which surnames were adopted, these connections are not necessarily straight-forward or direct.
Richard Montagu (Ladde), ~1471~. Yeoman. A " gateway ancestor" of many Montagu/es. Genealogy related material - cowboys, carpenters, tailors, and on to Virginia!Mrs. Alice? Montagu/e ~1560~. The Queen's "Silk Woman", introduced silk stockings to Queen Elizabeth. A woman of mystery.
Edward Montagu, 1562-1644. First Baron Montagu of Boughton. Politician, "royalist". The original creator of the first Thanksgiving, in response to the failure of the Gunpowder Plot to kill all of Parliament and the king using the equivalent of a truck-bomb.
Captayne Charles Mountague, ~1592. English captain in Ireland during Tyrone's Rebellion. Commanded the horse at the Yellow Ford (England's worst defeat in Ireland). He was found innocent in a court-martial regarding an ambush, with the circumstances described in one of the first "official" military histories...
Sir Henry Montagu, 1563?-1642. First earl of Manchester. Judge, Chief Justice of the King's Bench; Treasurer of England and senior statesman; trusted advisor of Charles I, close long-time friend and ally of Francis Bacon . Ordered execution of Sir Walter Raleigh and the Jesuit found guilty of leading the Gunpowder Plot. On original Virginia Company Council to settle Jamestown (as was Francis Bacon).
James Montagu/Mountague, 1568?-1618. Bishop of Winchester. Dean of the Royal Chapel, a close advisor and confidant of James I and Bess of Hardwick. Edited and translated the writings of James. On the original Virginia Company Council to settle Jamestown.
Sir Robert Bruce Cotton, 1571-1631. Librarian, record-keeper, his thousand-book library changes history by creating in effect the first public law library and "public-service think-tank". A founder of modern government, and rule by precedence and common-law. Kinsman, neighbor of Hinchinbrooke Montagus.
Richard Montagu/e/Mountague, 1577-1641. Bishop, scholar, king's chaplain, favorite theologian of Charles I. Political role defending Church of England from "both sides" (Puritans and Catholics) in Puritan controversy; defending right of the church to tax (tithe); and in controversy over the teachings of Ramus (which influenced the rise of modern science).
Edward Montagu, 1602-1671. Second earl of Manchester. Key participant, English Civil War. Initially in command of the Parliamentary army (in revolt against the king). Cromwell's commander, in command at Marston Moor, shaped the ensuing peace and the formation of the Restoration. Bitter political enemy of Cromwell. Married in King James' bedroom.
Walter (Wat) Montagu, 1603?-1677. Secret agent; apparently ran the English secret service in France and was a long-time adversary of Richelieu (sinister power behind the French throne). Imprisoned in the Bastille; served as translator and negotiator for Buckingham (king James' favorite); at Buckingham's assassination; had the ear of three great princesses. Converted to Catholicism and defended it in England; Henry, the son of Charles I, was put under his care.
Edward Montagu, 1616-1684. Second Baron Montagu of Boughton. Royalist politician, active agent of Charles II, welcomed the Restoration.
Sir William Montagu, 1619?-1706. Judge, Chief Baron of the Exchequer.
Edward Mountagu, 1625-1672. First earl of Sandwich. Famous Admiral, friend of Cromwell, friend of Charles II, decisive role in end of English Civil war and the start of the Restoration. Enthusiastic young admirer of Cromwell, experienced regimental combat commander by age of twenty, appointed Pepys his secretary, had the fleet restore the king when Parliamentary politics degenerated into endless civil war.
Samuel Pepys, 1633-1703. A cousin of Edward Mountagu, 1625-1672, his detailed diary is perhaps the best source of information on Restoration history. He essentially defined the position that is now, in the U.S., the Secretary of the Navy. Founder of the modern professional British Navy and arguable founder of modern style of Civil Service. The "first great modern civil servant" (bureaucrat)!
Jemima Montagu, ~1665. Daughter of first earl of Sandwich. Her arranged marriage is intimately documented by Samuel Pepys.
Robert Montagu, 1634-1683. Third earl of Manchester.
Edward Montagu, 1635-1665. Young politician and adventurer; favored Restoration. Killed at Battle of Bergen in Norway (an attempt to hijack the treasure-laden Dutch East Indies fleet); remembered for his premonition of death; comrade of poet Lord Rochester.
Ralph Montagu, 1638?-1709. Duke of Montagu. "Scheming" politician and womanizer. He played an important role in the rise of party politics in England (the Whigs) and triggered the fall of the catholic Stuart kings. Had a famous simultaneous affair with both a duchess and her daughter; married an insane heiress by pretending to be an emperor. Patron of John Lock, Robert Boyle, and others...
Edward Montagu, 1647-1688. A vignette regarding the foundation of modern science.
John Montagu, 1655?-1728. Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1683-~1700. Received his Doctorate by direct decree of the King. Dean of Durham. Upon leaving Trinity, his position was offered to Newton, who turned it down. He was Master of Trinity during very troubled academic times...
Charles Montagu, 1660?-1722. First Duke of Manchester. Diplomat. Became an active supporter of protestant Prince of Orange (William and Mary); raised troops that immediately supported William when he landed in England...
Charles Montagu, 1661-1715. Earl of Halifax. Innovative finance minister; principal patron and lifelong friend, supporter, and companion of Sir Isaac Newton; founded the Bank of England and modern form of government financing by national debt; "common-law" husband of Isaac Newton's niece.
Sir James Montagu, 1666-1723. Judge, attorney-general.
John Montagu, 1688-1749. Second Duke of Montagu. Courtier. His house became the first British Museum. Attempted to colonize two West Indies islands.
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, 1689-1762. Writer, early "feminist", socialite, and traveler, introduced smallpox inoculation in England. Considered the leading "woman of letters" of her century, introduced many words into the english language and had a significant indirect influence on the advance of medicine.
George Montagu, 1713-1780. His extensive correspondence with Horace Walpole, famous man-of-letters, is widely available. Walpole's correspondence is an important source of historical material, somewhat similar to Pepy's journal.
George Montagu (Brudenell), 1712-1790. Duke of Montagu, fourth Earl of Cardigan. Governor to Prince of Wales; Captain of Windsor Castle.
Edward Wortley Montagu, 1713-1776. Playboy, dilettante, author, and traveler - dysfunctional rebel child! Chased across the Sinai!
George Montagu Dunk, 1716-1771. Second Earl of Halifax. Active in founding Nova Scotia and expanding American commerce and colonies. Wrote perhaps the most famous Warrant in Anglo-American Law. The "father of the colonies".
John Montagu, 1718-1792 . Fourth Earl of Sandwich. First Lord of the Admiralty, rebuilt the English Navy, but America was lost "on his watch". Vilified as the "fall guy" for the loss of the first British empire, he actually may have pulled off a coup with quite a long historical shadow in salvaging as much from the wreck as he did... Invented the "Sandwich"!
John Montagu/Mountagu, 1719-1795. Admiral. In charge of the British navy in North America during the revolution (he watched the Boston Tea Party take place under his window...).
William Montagu, 1720?-1757. Naval Captain, earned the well-deserved moniker "Mad Montagu".
Elizabeth Montagu, 1720-1800. Socialite, invented the "blue-stocking" high-society social gathering. Publicized Shakespear internationally. Had an appreciable effect on the evolution of intellectual and scientific culture.
Frederick Montagu, 1733-1800. Politician, Lord of the Treasury.
George Montagu, 1737-1788. Fourth Duke of Manchester. Advocate of American colonists, leader of the Whigs.
Charles Greville Montagu, 1741-1783. Last Colonial Governor of South Carolina. During the American revolution, raised a regiment of captured American prisoners to fight for the British against the Spanish in Central America. After the war settled many of these troops in Nova Scotia.
James Montagu, 1752-1794. Navy Captain, fought in the revolution, in India, against the French, ... in command of the Montagu.
Edward Montagu, 1755-1799. Artillery officer in India.
Sir George Montagu, 1750-1829. Admiral, fought in the revolution and against Spain and France. Command role in famous action of Howe's Grand Fleet during the Napoleonic wars.
George Montagu, 1751-1815. Biologist, one of earliest members of Linnean Society, helped shape the formation of modern biology; one of those that provided the foundation for Darwin, who was quite laudatory of his work...
William Montagu, 1768-1843. Fifth Duke of Manchester. Governor of Jamaica.
Basil Montagu, 1770-1851. Son of John Montagu, fourth earl Sandwich and mistress Martha Ray. Developed significant amount of "modern" Bankruptcy Law, first to publish the collected works of Francis Bacon.
John Montagu, 1797-1853. Soldier, Colonial Secretary of Tasmania and South Africa. Significant role in forming Australian and South African government.
Algernon Sidney Montagu, 1802-1880. Scandalous "mad Judge" at the ends of the earth (Australia, Falklands, Sierra Leone). Australian Supreme Court justice.
Oliver George Powlett Montagu, 1844-1893. Colonel, British Army, Egyptian campaign.
Walter Humphries Montague, 1858-1915. Canadian doctor, Minister of Agriculture and Public Works, Secretary of State.
Percival John Montague, 1882-1966 . Canadian soldier and judge, chief of staff and judge advocate general of Canadian army overseas during WWII.
These are the families primarily descended from brothers Peter and Richard Montague in Virginia and Massachusetts, respectively, in the early 1600's.
Peter Montague/Mountague, 1603-1659. Early settler and politician in colonial Jamestown, Virginia.Richard Montague/Montaque, ~1614-1681. Early Massachusetts settler.
Daniel Montague, 1798-1876. Early American settler in Texas. Soldier and surveyor. President of the Court at the Great Hanging in Gainesville, which executed 42 during the Civil War to destroy a pro-Northern plot; member of the Snively anti-Mexico privateering raid.
Robert Latane Montague, 1819-1880. President of Virginia Secession Convention, Lt-Governor of Virginia, Confederate Congress Representative. One of the core politicians of the Confederacy.
Samuel Skerry Montague, 1830-1883. Chief Engineer of the Central Pacific Railroad. In charge of building the western half of the first transcontinental railroad; significant role in the modern layout of California and Nevada. Leland Stanford's engineer (of Stanford University fame).
William Lewis Montague, 1831-1908. Amherst Linguistics Professor, Registrar, and Family Historian.
Andrew Philip Montague, 1854-1928. President of 4 colleges, Latin scholar and classicist.
George Prescott Montague, 1854-1928. Lawyer before the Supreme Court, businessman, aviation enthusiast.
Alice Montague, 1869-1929. Mother of the women who caused the only voluntary abdication of the throne in British history. (A fascinating story - a dirt poor Appalachian childhood, a single-woman alone through war-torn China in the 1920's, a scandalous affair with the King of England...).
Andrew Jackson Montague, 1862-1937. Progressive Governor of Virginia and 12 term U.S. Congressman.
William Pepperell Montague, 1873-1953 . Influential American philosopher; one of the founder's of the pragmatic "New Realism".
Gilbert Holland Montague, 1880-1961 . Pro-business antitrust lawyer and economist, book collector; FDR's economics instructor. Involved (adversarialy) at the top levels in the formation of FDR's New Deal. A relative of Emily Dickinson, he maintained an extensive collection of her correspondence.
Presumably, these are the oldest families. Many of these folks probably derive their name from the French town of Montaigu. From records of old medieval feudal levies, it would appear that Montaigus could be found in almost all parts of France.
Conon de Montaigu, ?1096?. Crusader. Commander under Godfrey of Bouillon during the First Crusade.Pierre Francois de Montaigu. Comte (Count) de Montaigu, French ambassador to Venice (1743-1777), Jean-Jacques Rousseau's boss.
These were French Protestants. Immigration of these folks to the Americas and Ireland was heavy. Their names can be found in most variations of Montague. Records are clear that Huguenots who spelled their name Montague settled in both Ireland and the Carolinas. Some of these people used variations on the name such as Montagut or Montaguit.
I am assuming that Jean de la Montague belongs in the group, but am not sure.
Johannes Montague (Jean de la Montague), 1595-1670. Early settler in Dutch New York, physician, politician, and Vice-Director General; school master of first New York public school.There are a large number of Irish Montagues. Many American and Australian Montagu/es are from this group. They normally spell their names Montague or Montagu. Most of these folks seem to derive from Northern Ireland.
For additional information on Montagues in Ireland, see the
derivation of the name Montague in Ireland.Alexander Montague, 1815-1898. Australian pioneer, politician, and a founder of Cooma, NSW.
Daniel Montague, 1867-1912. Sailor, Master-At-Arms. Received the Congressional Medal of Honor during the Spanish-American war.
Charles Edward Montague, 1867-1928. Famous author, journalist, World War I soldier, poet.
These families were mostly immigrants from Spain, Germany, and later Eastern Europe and Russia. It was common for naturalized citizens to "anglo-phy" or simply adopt English names, and Montagu was apparently a not-uncommon adopted name.
Probably the most common Montagu encountered on the web is a Montagu that belongs to this group. Ashley Montagu, who was born Israel Ehrenberg in 1905, was an anthropologist who apparently had a falling-out with his advisor in grad school and changed his legal name to Montague Francis Ashley Montagu (yes, both first and last). He was probably the foremost champion of the idea that race is a cultural construct, and largely wrote the UN's 1950 UNESCO Statement on Race. He wrote numerous books; as the Encylopaedia Judaica puts it, "Convinced that the idea of race was not only fallacious but antihuman and socially destructive, he dedicated his rhetorical and literary gifts to the production of a number of popular books on this question and on anthropological themes of large humanistic interest."
Samuel Montagu, 1832-1911. International financier and famous Jewish activist.Edwin Samuel Montagu, 1879-1924. British Minister of Munitions in 1916, Secretary of State for India (1917-1922), and key participant in drafting the Balfour Declaration.
It is not clear if these families are related to French, English, or Norman families, or whether the name arose independently, as in France. Much of the Hundred Years war was fought in South-Western France. In addition, many French, Norman, and English knights took part in the mini-crusades that made up the Reconquista of Spain from the Moors.
The background of someone in the crusading Military Orders is especially difficult to determine as these orders were pan-European and they apparently kept no records that would reflect on the question.
Pedro Guerin de Montagu, 1168-1230. Crusader. Grand Master of the Hospitalers (Knights of Saint John; Knights of Malta).Pedro de Montaigu, ?-1232. Crusader. One of the most successful Grand Masters of the Knights Templar, from 1219-1232. Led the Christian defense of the Holy Land, supervised building the largest Crusader castle in the Middle East. Key role in the Fifth crusade and Frederick's crusade.
?? Montagu, ?-1588. Lord ?? Montagu. English Catholic, killed fighting for the Spanish against Dutch/English forces while serving aboard the Portuguese flagship San Mateo in the Spanish Armada.
Second Viscount Montagu (Anthony Maria Browne), 1574-1629. Second Viscount Montagu.
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