NameCensus.

UK surname

Montana

A surname of Spanish origin meaning "mountain" or "mountainous," referring to someone who lived in or near mountains.

In the 1881 census there were 4 people recorded with the Montana surname, ranking it #33,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 230, ranked #17,812, up from #33,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wolverhampton and Kingston upon Hull.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Montana is 230 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 5650.0%.

1881 census count

4

Ranked #33,288

Modern count

230

2016, ranked #17,812

Peak year

2016

230 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • Montana had 4 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #33,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016, ranked #17,812.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Multi-Ethnic Communities.

Montana surname distribution map

The map shows where the Montana surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Montana surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Montana over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1881 historical 4 #33,288
1891 historical 4 #34,098
1901 historical 1 #34,548
1911 historical 1 #34,332
1997 modern 91 #28,215
1998 modern 87 #29,240
1999 modern 94 #28,593
2000 modern 91 #28,952
2001 modern 88 #29,056
2002 modern 96 #28,534
2003 modern 99 #27,871
2004 modern 114 #25,870
2005 modern 117 #25,433
2006 modern 130 #24,053
2007 modern 139 #23,377
2008 modern 143 #23,160
2009 modern 165 #21,552
2010 modern 167 #21,835
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 186 #20,141
2013 modern 191 #20,124
2014 modern 202 #19,575
2015 modern 208 #19,085
2016 modern 230 #17,812

Geography

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Where Montanas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wolverhampton and Kingston upon Hull. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wolverhampton 013 Wolverhampton
2 Wolverhampton 016 Wolverhampton
3 Kingston upon Hull 004 Kingston upon Hull, City of
4 Kingston upon Hull 029 Kingston upon Hull, City of
5 Kingston upon Hull 001 Kingston upon Hull, City of

Forenames

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First names often paired with Montana

These lists show first names that appear often with the Montana surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Montana

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Montana, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Established Multi-Ethnic Communities

Nationally, the Montana surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Multi-Ethnic Communities, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Montana household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Parents and young children in this Group are drawn from diverse ethnic backgrounds in broadly similar proportions. Employment is typically in elementary occupations, though workers in professional, intermediate or skilled trades occupations are also present. The residential landscape is dominated by terraced housing, although semi-detached houses and flats are also present. This Group is found in London and in many provincial towns and cities throughout the U.K.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Montana is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Montana is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Montana falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Montana is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Montana, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Montana

The surname Montana originated in Italy, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 14th century. It is believed to be derived from the Italian word "montagna," which means "mountain," suggesting that the name was initially given to someone who lived near or in a mountainous region.

One of the earliest known references to the Montana surname can be found in the records of the Florentine Republic, where a Giovanni di Montana is mentioned as a citizen of Florence in the year 1382. This suggests that the name was already well-established in the region by that time.

During the Renaissance period, the Montana surname gained prominence in various parts of Italy. Notably, Bartolomeo Montana, a renowned painter from Genoa, lived between 1470 and 1525 and is known for his contributions to the Italian Renaissance art movement.

In the 16th century, the name appears in historical records from the Republic of Venice, where a family of prominent Venetian merchants and traders bore the Montana surname. One such individual was Marco Montana, who was a successful merchant and trader in the Mediterranean region during the late 1500s.

As the centuries passed, the Montana surname spread across Italy and beyond. In the 18th century, Giuseppe Montana, an Italian architect and engineer, was born in 1720 and is noted for his work on various architectural projects in Naples and the surrounding regions.

Moving into the 19th century, the Montana surname gained recognition in the literary world with the Italian writer and poet, Tommaso Montana, who lived from 1805 to 1877. His works, which often explored themes of nature and the mountain landscapes of Italy, contributed to the romantic literature movement of the time.

Another notable figure with the Montana surname was Maria Montana, an Italian operatic soprano who lived from 1850 to 1915. She gained acclaim for her performances in various operas across Europe, particularly in the works of Giuseppe Verdi and Giacomo Puccini.

As the name spread beyond Italy, it can be found in various other regions, particularly in areas with significant Italian migration. For example, in the United States, the Montana surname is often associated with Italian-American communities, reflecting the historical movement of Italian immigrants to the country.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Montana families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Montana surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 3 Montanas recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.72x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 3 7.72x
Hampshire 1 12.56x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Anne Soho London in Middlesex leads with 3 Montanas recorded in 1881 and an index of 1363.64x.

Place Total Index
St Anne Soho London 3 1363.64x
Ringwood 1 2000.00x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Montana surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Marie 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Montana surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Charles 1
Charlie 1
Ernest 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Montana households.

Occupation Count
Dress Maker 1
Printer 1
Scholar 1

FAQ

Montana surname: questions and answers

How common was the Montana surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4 people were recorded with the Montana surname. That placed it at #33,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Montana surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 230 in 2016. That gives Montana a modern rank of #17,812.

What does the Montana surname mean?

A surname of Spanish origin meaning "mountain" or "mountainous," referring to someone who lived in or near mountains.

What does the Montana map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Montana bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.