Contents [hide]

Menges History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Menges History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland
England

The earliest known forbear of the surname is Robert de Manieres, a Norman from Mesnieres, near Rouen, Normandy. His name appeared in the "Roll of Battle Abbey," an honor roll of all those who fought at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 AD. He was first granted land in Kent and Surrey under Odo, Bishop of Bayeux.

One branch of the family remained in England to eventually become the Dukes of Rutland with the surname of Manners, the Normanized Saxon way of pronouncing this name. However, with growing dissatisfaction under the Conqueror's rule, one branch of the family (it is not certain whether this was the most senior branch) moved north, probably with Margaret, King Malcolm Ceanmore's second wife, where they were granted lands in Lothian. They moved from the Lowlands into the Highlands in about 1090. They settled in the Lands of Culdares in Glenylon.

Early Origins of the Menges family

The surname Menges was first found in Midlothian, where it is quite understandable that the native Gaelic had difficulty with this Norman surname, and it can be found in various forms, among them: Mengues, Mingies and Meyners.

The reason for these variations is the attempt to pronounce the "y" in Menyers (another variation of the original) in the Gaelic results in a cross between the sound of a "y" and that of a "g". Within a century the Clan were truly Gaelicized, although for Court purposes the first Chief retained the name of Sir Robert de Meyners.

Sir Robert had risen in court circles, under King Alexander II to the position of Chamberlain of Scotland in 1249. The earliest surviving charter of this Clan is held by the Moncreiffes. In the Charter we find a grant of Lands of Culdares (now spelt Culdair) "as freely, quietly, fully and honorably as any Baron within the Kingdom of Scotland is able to give such land." The witnesses to this deed, which established a barony within the Earldom of Atholl, were David de Meyneris and also Alexander de Meyneris.

Sir Robert was also granted lands in Rannoch that had belonged to King Alexander's own family. One cannot then help but conjecture that he had, in fact, married one of the King's daughters (that his sons took the Royal name of David, and Alexander may be evidence to this), however, this is not recorded. Sir Alexander, Sir Robert's son, was granted Aberfeldybeg in Strath Tay and the property of Weem. The reason for these grants is again not recorded, but we may draw the same conclusion.

Early History of the Menges family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Menges research. Another 250 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1329, 1423, 1487, 1510, 1571, 1587, 1599, 1671 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Menges History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Menges Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Menzies, Menigees, Mennes, Mengzes, Menzeys, Minges, Méinn (Gaelic) and many more.

Early Notables of the Menges family

More information is included under the topic Early Menges Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Menges Ranking

In the United States, the name Menges is the 14,238^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Menges family to Ireland

Some of the Menges family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Menges migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Menges Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannes Menges, who landed in New York in 1709-1710 2
Johannes Conrad Menges, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1749 2
Joh Georg Menges, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 2
Conrad Menges, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 2
Joh Jerg Menges, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Menges Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jacob Menges, aged 38, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 2
Anton Menges, who arrived in Galveston, Tex in 1846 aboard the ship "Riga" 2
Mrs. Cath Menges,who arrived in Galveston, Tex in 1846 aboard the ship "Riga" 2
Miss Cath Menges, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Riga"
Mr. Adam Menges, German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Riga"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Menges 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:

Menges Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Jacob Menges, (b. 1836), aged 27, German farm labourer, from Germany travelling from London aboard the ship "Sebastopol" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st May 1863 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Menges (post 1700) +

Louis John Menges (1888-1969), American silver medalist soccer player at the 1904 Summer Olympics
Ensign Herbert Hugo Menges (b. 1917), American seaman from Louisville, Kentucky who was killed during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of 7 December 1941, eponym of the destroyer escort USS Menges (DE-320)
James Menges (b. 1951), American volleyball player, coach and AVP Tournament director
Franklin Menges (1858-1956), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania (1925-1931)
Emily Menges (b. 1992), American professional soccer defender in the National Women's Soccer League
Joyce Menges (1948-1967), American actress who was active from 1967 to 1975, best known for her starring role in Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972)
Herbert Menges OBE (1902-1972), born Siegfried Frederick Herbert Menges, an English conductor and composer of German descent
Isolde Marie Menges (1893-1976), English violinist from Sussex, England, founder of the Menges Quartet in 1931, older sister of Herbert Menges
Axel Menges, German co-founder of Edition Axel Menges, a publishing company specialising in architecture, art and design
Karl Heinrich Menges (1908-1999), German linguist specializing in Altaic languages
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Menges Motto +

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: Vil God I zal
Motto Translation: Will God I shall.

Citations +

"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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html