Show ContentsMontignies History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Of all the French names to come from Normandy, Montignies is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in Mounteney, Montigny, or Montigni, near Falaise in Normandy. "Roger de Montigny gave lands to St.Vigor’s, Cerisy, temp. William I. and in Henry I.’s reign William de Montigny married a daughter and co-heir of Jordan Briset, a great Baron of Essex." 1

Early Origins of the Montignies family

The surname Montignies was first found in Normandy, but it seems the lion's share of the family moved to England with the Conquest.

"Sir Arnold Mounteney witnesses John Fitz Matthew Brito's grant to Worksop Abbey. We find the family from an early date in Yorkshire. 'Bartholomew de Sancta Maria, grandson of Pagan' (a contemporary of the Conqueror’s) 'left three sisters as his coheirs. Sibil, the second, married Jordan de Renevile, one of the subinfeudatories of the Baron of Hallamshire, and holding under him Cowley, and the part of the parish of Ecclesfield abutting upon Kimberworth. She had two daughters and coheirs, Margaret, who married Thomas Mounteney, by which marriage the Mounteneys acquired Cowley; and Alice who married Thomas de Beila Acqua.' - Hunter's South Yorkshire."

"Alice (sometimes called Aliena) de Bellew, was childless, and Margaret became sole heir. The name of her husband is wrongly given. He was Sir Robert, the son of Arnold de Monteney, w ho had married a daughter of Gerard de Furnival and the Louvetot heiress, and held the estate of Shiercliffe of the castle and manor of Sheffield. The Monteneys obtained the Kings license to make a park round their house at Shiercliffe, and enjoyed certain manorial privileges. At their other manor of Cowley they had 'great woods and abundance of redd deare, and a stately castle-like house moated about, pulled down not long since by the Earl of Salop after he had purchased the land.'—Dodsworth."

"The family were of higher antiquity and no less importance, in the Eastern Counties, where they had originally settled. Robert de Mounteney, of Norfolk, held three fees in 1161 from Richard de Lucy, whose daughter Dionysia he had married; and one fee of old feoffment as Lord of Beeston. " 2

Early History of the Montignies family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Montignies research. Another 517 words (37 lines of text) covering the years 1236, 1252, 1254, 1255, 1278, 1291, 1360, 1363, 1375, 1391, 1404, 1417, 1420, 1528, 1636, 1670, 1671, 1810 and 1813 are included under the topic Early Montignies History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Montignies Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous alterations in spelling because of the various cultural groups that inhabited specific regions. Eventually, each region possessed its own local dialect of the French language. The early development of the French language, however, was also influenced by other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heavily from the Italian language during the Renaissance. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Montignies is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Montigny, Montignie, Montignies, Montagny, Mountigny, Mountignie, Mountignies, Montignye, de Montigny, la Montigny and many more.

Early Notables of the Montignies family

Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Montignies Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Montignies family

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec, in 1663 there were only 500, 2,000 migrants arrived during the next decade. Early marriage was desperately encouraged amongst the immigrants. Youths of 18 took fourteen-year-old girls for their wives. The fur trade was developed and attracted migrants, both noble and commoner from France. 15,000 explorers left Montreal in the late 17th and 18th centuries. Migration from France to New France or Quebec as it was now more popularly called, continued from France until it fell in 1759. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the Acadian presence in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island had reached 500. In 1755, 10,000 French Acadians refused to take an oath of allegiance to England and were deported to Louisiana. Meanwhile, in Quebec, the French race flourished, founding in Lower Canada, one of the two great solitudes which became Canada. Many distinguished contributions have been made by members of this family name Montignies. It has been prominent in the arts, religion, politics and culture in France and New France. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Montignies were Claude Montigny, who arrived in Quebec in 1668.



  1. 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)
  2. 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


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