Contents [hide]

Munroe History Etymology Coat of Arms Creation Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto and War Cry Sources

Munroe History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

Etymology of Munroe

What does the name Munroe mean?

Munroe was first used as a surname by descendants of the Pictish people of ancient Scotland. The ancestors of the Munroe family lived near the foot of the river Roe in the Irish county of Derry. The Gaelic form of the name is Rothach, which means a man of Ro or a man from Ro.

Munroe Coat of Arms Creation

This is one of the oldest, most highly esteemed, and famous of the Highland clans. The crest of the Munroes is an eagle perching, with eagles as supporters, and the motto is " Dread God." The eagle is regarded as the king of birds and the emblem of magnanimity and fortitude of mind, and is cer-tainly applicable to the Munroes.

Ben Wyvis, which was the property of the Munroes in the olden time was a home of eagles, and the club moss, the badge of the Munroes, is also found in abundance on this mountain.

There is an eagle stone at Strathpeffer, and it is supposed to be in memory of some clan fight in which Munro was successful.

It is worth noting-that in a charter which the Munroes got, they were declared to hold their lands on condition of their furnishing, even at midsummer, a ball of snow, if required. This could always easily be done. Afterwards the condition of tenure was a pair of white gloves or three pence. 1

Early Origins of the Munroe family

The surname Munroe was first found in Cromartyshire, where they were descended from Donadl O'Kane and his Irish sept, who left their homeland at the mouth of the river Roe, in Ireland and settler in Ferrindonald in Cromarty, in the 11th century. Other historians suggest the name was originally Monrosse, because they were Mountaineers of Ross. In this case, their traditional origin is from the Siol O'Cain, an ancient Pictish tribe descended from Anselan O'Cain in North Moray, which also produced the Buchanans and the MacMillans.

Early History of the Munroe family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Munroe research. Another 419 words (30 lines of text) covering the years 1210, 1230, 1476, 1505, 1602, 1651, 1680, 1693, 1697, 1719 and 1729 are included under the topic Early Munroe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Munroe Spelling Variations

Repeated and inaccurate translation of Scottish names from Gaelic to English and back resulted in a wide variety of spelling variations with single names. Munroe has appeared Monroe, Monro, Monrow, Munroe, Munro, Munrow and many more.

Early Notables of the Munroe family

Sir William Munro of Foulis (died 1505), a Scottish Knight and Scottish Clan chief of the highland Clan Munro, by tradition the 12th Baron of Foulis and 15th overall chief of the clan; Robert Monro of the Munro of Obsdale family (died 1680), a famous Scottish General, from the Clan Munro of Ross-shire; Sir George Munro, 1st Baronet of Newmore (1602-1693), Scottish soldier and Member of Parliament; Sir John Munro, 4th Baronet of Foulis (died 1697), 22nd Baron and 25th chief of the Clan Munro; Sir Robert Munro, 5th Baronet of Foulis (died 1729), the 23rd Baron and 26th chief of...
Another 120 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Munroe Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Munroe Ranking

the United States, the name Munroe is the 6,164^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2

Munroe migration to the United States +

Many Scottish families suffered enormous hardships and were compelled to leave their country of birth. They traveled to Ireland and Australia, but mostly to the colonies of North America, where many found the freedom and opportunity they sought. It was not without a fight, though, as many were forced to stand up and defend their freedom in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of these Scots abroad have rediscovered their heritage in the last century through the Clan societies and other organizations that have sprung up across North America. Immigration and passenger ship lists show some important early immigrants bearing the name Munroe:

Munroe Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Munroe (1625-1719), Scottish soldier captured at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 and transported to America aboard the ship John and Sarah, progenitor of the New England Munroes

Munroe Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

David Munroe, who landed in Virginia in 1776 3
George Munroe, who landed in Virginia in 1776 3
Alexander Munroe, who settled in Maryland in 1793
Alexander Munroe, who arrived in Frederick County, Maryland in 1793 3

Munroe Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Munroe, who landed in New York in 1807 3
Peter Munroe, aged 30, who arrived in North Carolina in 1812 3
Robert Munroe, aged 60, who landed in North Carolina in 1812 3
Daniel Munroe, aged 32, who arrived in North Carolina in 1812 3
William Munroe, who arrived in Virginia in 1830 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Munroe migration to Canada +

Munroe Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Donald Munroe, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1773
Janet Munroe, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1773
Mr. John Munroe U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 39 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 4
Mrs. Elizabeth Munroe U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 88 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 4
Master. John Munroe Jr., U.E. (b. 1783), aged 10 months born in the USA who arrived at Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on October 26, 1783 was passenger number 21 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on September 20, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Munroe migration to Australia +

Munroe Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Munroe, Welsh convict who was convicted in Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Charles Munroe, English convict who was convicted in Dorset, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 27th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
William Early Munroe a organist, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Navarino" in 1837 7
Mr. Alexander Munroe, (b. 1822), aged 19, Scottish labourer born in Dumfries who was convicted in West Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years for house breaking, transported aboard the "David Clarke" on 3rd June 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1882 8
George Munroe, English convict from London, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Munroe migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Munroe Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Jessie Munroe, aged 23, a domestic servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849
Kate Munroe, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849
Jane Munroe, aged 22, a dressmaker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849
Isabella Munroe, aged 17, a milliner, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849
Maria Munroe, aged 15, a domestic servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Mariner" in 1849

Contemporary Notables of the name Munroe (post 1700) +

Lorne Munroe (1924-2020), Canadian principal cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1951 to 1964 and principal cellist of the New York Philharmonic from 1964 to 1996
Thomas Munroe, American politician, Postmaster at Washington, District of Columbia, 1799-1829 10
Robert D. V. Munroe, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 11th District, 1946 11
Oliver H. Munroe, American Republican politician, Member of New Hampshire State Senate 7th District; Elected 1938 11
Norman E. B. Munroe, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Dunmore Town, 1898 11
Mark Munroe, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Ohio, 2008 11
Lucy Munroe, American Democratic Party politician, Speaker, Democratic National Convention, 1948 11
John P. Munroe, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1904; Member of Massachusetts State Senate Second Worcester District, 1905 11
John Munroe, American politician, Postmaster at Annapolis, Maryland, 1811-17 11
... (Another 27 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Munroe family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. William Anderson Munroe (d. 1914), British 2nd Class Pantryman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 11

Munroe Motto and War Cry +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Dread God
War Cry: " Caisteal Foulis na theMe "
War Cry Description: (Foulis Castle on fire).

Sources +

Polson, Alexander, The Romance of Scottish Crests and Mottoes. Inverness: Walter Alexander, Inglis Street 1929. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) NAVARINO 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837Navarino.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-clarke
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html