Monsees History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Monsees was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Monsees family lived in Monceaux, Normandy. "The 'Sire de Monceals' of the Roman de Ron. He 'descended from the ancient lords of Maers and Monceaux, Counts of Nevers. Landric IV. became Count of Nevers c. 990 by marriage, and had a younger son Landric of Nevers, Baron of Monceaux, grandfather of William de Monceaux, who is mentioned by Wace in 1066. He appears as William de Moncellis in the Eastern Domesday, and as William de Nevers in Norfolk 1086. 1 His descendants occur in Sussex, but chiefly in Yorkshire and Lincoln.' " 2

"There are several communes of this name in Normandy; but Monceaux, near Bayeux, is probably the one meant. This name is frequently to be found in the earlier muniments of Battle Abbey; for a branch of the family, soon after the Conquest, settled at Bodiham, in its immediate neighbourhood. Part of his estate there was granted by William de Monceaux to the Abbey, at some date previous to 1200. " 3

Early Origins of the Monsees family

The surname Monsees was first found in Sussex where they held a family seat as lords of the manor of Herstmonceux. They were descended from the ancient Lords of Maers and Monceaux, Counts of Nevers in Normandy. They were granted lands in Sussex and those branches, retaining the name Monceaux became the Lords of Monson, the Viscounts Castlemaine, and the Lords Sondes.

The first record of the family was "Drogo de Moncy [who] came to England 1066, and was in Palestine 1096. Drogo de Moncy, his son, had a pardon in Sussex 1130. In 1299 Walter de Moncy was summoned to Parliament as a baron." 2

"The Moncys held Thornton of the Percy fee in Yorkshire. 'Walter de Muncy, 28 Edward I. had a charter for free-warren in his demesne lands at Thornton juxta Skipton, Everby, and Kelbroke in the co. of York. From the frequency of his name in the writs of summons of his time, he must have been a person of great eminence. In 29 Edward I, he was one of those barons Avho, in the parliament at Lincoln, subscribed that memorable letter which was addressed to the Pope,asserting the King's supremacy over the realm of Scotland; on which occasion he was denominated Dominus de Thornton." 4

Another branch moved north into Cumberland soon after the Conquest: Hammond Monceaux was Sheriff of Cumberland in 1290, and it is there that the Mounsey branch is thought to have arisen.

In Lincolnshire, Edonea de Munchaus was listed as a Knights Templar in 1185 and a few years later, William Munci was listed in the Feet of Fines for Gloucestershire in 1198. 5

Later, Walter de Muncy, 1st Baron Muncy (d. c. 1309), was summoned to Parliament and was accordingly granted a peerage on 6 February 1299. This gentleman may be the same person referenced at Thornton in the West Riding of Yorkshire in early times. "This place in the reign of Edward I. belonged to Walter de Muncey, who obtained from that monarch the grant of a weekly market, and a fair on the festival of St. Thomas the Martyr and four following days." 6

Early History of the Monsees family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Monsees research. Another 134 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1291, 1296, 1377, 1395, 1686, 1693, 1714, 1723 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Monsees History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Monsees Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Monsees have been found, including Mounsey, Mounsie, Mouncie, Mouncey, Mouncy, Muncey, Muncie, Mounceaus, Monceaux, Monceux, Monse and many more.

Early Notables of the Monsees family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Messenger Monsey (1693-1788), physician, born in 1693, was eldest son of Robert Monsey, some time rector of Bawdeswell, Norfolk, but ejected as a nonjuror, and his wife Mary, daughter of the Rev. Roger Clopton. (The family of Monsey or Mounsey is supposed to be derived from the Norman house of De Monceaux.) Monsey was educated at home, and afterwards at Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1714. He studied medicine at Norwich under Sir Benjamin Wrench, and was admitted extra licentiate of...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Monsees Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Monsees migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Monsees were among those contributors:

Monsees Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johanne Henrike Monsees, who arrived in North America in 1832-1849 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Monsees (post 1700) +

Zac Monsees, American water polo player from California in the 2007 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship
James Monsees, American co-founder of PAX Labs, an electronic cigarette company in 2007

The Monsees 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: Semper paratus
Motto Translation: Always prepared.

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)