Mountague History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Mountague came to England with the ancestors of the Mountague family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mountague family lived in Somerset. The name, however, derives from the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Montaigu-Les-Bois in Coutance, Normandy. 1

"The Christian name of the distinguished soldier was Drogo, denominated 'de Montagu,' from a town in Normandy. In Domesday Book, he is styled Drogo de Montacuto." 2

Early Origins of the Mountague family

The surname Mountague was first found in Somerset. In the Domesday Book Drogo de Montacuto held lands under Robert, Earl of Morton and was one of the companions of the Conqueror in his quest to conquer England. As half-brother of the Conqueror, "this Drogo fixed his chief residence at the castle of Shipton-Montacute, co, Somerset. " 2

Simon de Montacute, Lord of Shipton-Montacute was a strong warrior during the reign of Edward I, "a right valiant cheiftaine." "From this renowned soldier descended the illustrious race of Montague, conspicuous in all the great achievements of English history. " The parish of Montacute in Somerset holds a special significance to the family's lineage. "This place, in the time of the Saxons, was called Logaresburch, which is said to have been changed for its present name by William, Earl of Morton, who soon after the Conquest built a strong castle here, on the sharp point of a hill. " 3

Early History of the Mountague family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mountague research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1086, 1350, 1400, 1428, 1485, 1530, 1557, 1559, 1563, 1602, 1603, 1616, 1636, 1642, 1644, 1661, 1665, 1671, 1677, 1678, 1684, 1715, 1761, 1793 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mountague History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mountague Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Montague, Montagu, Montegue, Montacute and others.

Early Notables of the Mountague family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Montacute, (1350-1400), 3rd Earl of Salisbury and 5th and 2nd Baron Montacute, English nobleman, one of the few who remained loyal to Richard II after Henry IV became king; James Montagu, Bishop of Bath; Sir Edward Montagu (ca. 1485-1557), an English lawyer and judge; Sir Edward Montagu (ca. 1530-1602), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1559; Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton (1563-1644), an English politician; Sir Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester (ca.1563-1642), an English...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mountague Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Mountague family to Ireland

Some of the Mountague family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mountague migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Mountague or a variant listed above:

Mountague Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Abigael Mountague, who arrived in Maryland in 1650 4
William Mountague, who arrived in America in 1654-1679 4
Jane Mountague, who landed in Maryland in 1659 4
Jeane Mountague, who arrived in Maryland in 1663 4
Cornelius Mountague, who landed in Maryland in 1672 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Mountague 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: Equitas actionum regula
Motto Translation: Let equity be the rule of our actions.

Citations +

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)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
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)