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Moncrieff History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Moncrieff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
England

The Scottish name Moncrieff is a habitational name, taken on from Moncreiffe Hill near the Royal Burgh of Perth. The surname itself came from the name of the lands granted to Sir Matthew de Muncrefe by King Alexander II in 1248. It is claimed that Sir Matthew was a member of a cadet branch of a family desceded from Maldred, brother of King Duncan and a descendant of Niall of the Nine Hostages, King of Ireland, who lived circa 400 A.D. in Tara. Today, Moncreiffe Island, also known as Friarton Island divides the River Tay into two channels as it flows through Perth in Scotland.

Early Origins of the Moncrieff family

The surname Moncrieff was first found in Perthshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) former county in the present day Council Area of Perth and Kinross, located in central Scotland, where William de Moncrefe and John de Moncref, rendered homage to King Edward I of England during the latter's brief conquest of Scotland in 1296. In that same year Thomas de Mouncref was taken as a Scots prisoner of war at Dunbar Castle. The estate of Easter Moncreiffe was gifted to a younger son of the family in 1312. 1

Early History of the Moncrieff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Moncrieff research. Another 324 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1488, 1626, 1685, 1776, 1811, 1829, 1851, 1874, 1895, 1906, 1919, 1948, 1957 and 1985 are included under the topic Early Moncrieff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Moncrieff Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Moncreiffe, Moncrieffe, Moncreif, Moncreiff, Moncreyfe and many more.

Early Notables of the Moncrieff family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

Colonel Sir Alexander Moncrieff (1829-1906) who was born in Edinburgh...
A member of the Scottish military and a brilliant engineer, he is best known for the invention of the Moncrieff Pits and disappearing carriages for siege and fortress guns...

Moncrieff migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Moncrieff Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mrs. Moncrieff, aged 44, who settled in America, in 1895

Moncrieff Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Harry Moncrieff, aged 12, who immigrated to the United States from Glasgow, in 1901
Murri Moncrieff, aged 31, who landed in America from London, in 1904
Lady Evelyn Moncrieff, aged 46, who landed in America from Bridge of Earn-Scotland, in 1905
Robert Moncrieff, aged 24, who settled in America from Sterling, in 1906
David Moncrieff, aged 34, who landed in America from Glasgow, in 1906
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Moncrieff migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Moncrieff Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Stewart Moncrieff, (Moncrieffe), (b. 1795), aged 33, Scottish commissioned officer from Edinburgh who was convicted in India for 9 years for forgery, transported aboard the "Caroline" in 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2
Mr. David Moncrieff, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 10 years, transported aboard the "Emerald Isle" on 25th June 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 3

Moncrieff 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:

Moncrieff Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. P.R. Moncrieff, Scottish settler from Auchterarder travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 27th April 1860 4
Mrs. Margaret Moncrieff, (b. 1844), aged 21, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 5
Mr. John Moncrieff, (b. 1851), aged 28, Scottish farm labourer, from Lanark travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 28th August 1879 5
Mrs. Moncrieff, (b. 1851), aged 28, Scottish settler, from Lanark travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 28th August 1879 5
Mr. John Moncrieff, (b. 1873), aged 6, Scottish settler, from Lanark travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Nelson" arriving in Invercargill, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 28th August 1879 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Moncrieff (post 1700) +

Sidney A. Moncrieff (b. 1957), retired American professional basketball player
Sir Alexander Moncrieff (1829-1906), Scottish soldier and engineer
Christopher Wighton Moncrieff CBE (1931-2019), British journalist and political editor of the Press Association from 1980 to 1994
Mr. Anthony Paul Moncrieff M.B.E., British Chief Executive for London Friend, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to LGBT Equality 6
Perrine Millais Moncrieff CBE (1893-1979), New Zealand author, conservationist and amateur ornithologist
Group Captain Ernest Hutchison Glen Moncrieff, Canadian flier awarded the Croix de Guerre during WWII 7
Lieutenant General Sir James Moncrieff Grierson KCB CMG CVO ADC (1859-1914), British soldier, General Officer Commanding, 1st Division at Aldershot Command in 1906 and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief for Eastern Command in 1912
Douglas Moncrieff Stanes (1917-2001), Canadian politician in Manitoba, Canada

Historic Events for the Moncrieff family +

Flight 191

John Gillie Moncrieff (d. 1979), American passenger from Sacramento, California, USA, who was born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, who flew aboard American Airlines Flight 191 and died in the crash 8

The Moncrieff 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: Sur esperance
Motto Translation: Upon hope.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caroline
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emily
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62310, 4 July 2019 | London Gazette, The Gazette, June 2018, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62310/supplement/B1
World War 2 Awards.com - MONCRIEFF, Ernest. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Ernest Moncrieff. Retrieved from http://www.ww2awards.com/person/9289
Flight 191's Victims - latimes. (Retrieved 2014, April 16) . Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/1985-08-04/news/mn-4349_1_fort-lauderdale-area