NameCensus.

UK surname

Montgomery

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Gumarich's hill" in Norman French.

In the 1881 census there were 4,774 people recorded with the Montgomery surname, ranking it #929 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 8,869, ranked #738, up from #929 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lochs, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Skye North West, Parkhead West and Barrowfield and New Cumnock.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Montgomery is 9,000 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 85.8%.

1881 census count

4,774

Ranked #929

Modern count

8,869

2016, ranked #738

Peak year

2010

9,000 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Montgomery had 4,774 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #929 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 8,869 in 2016, ranked #738.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 6,111 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Montgomery surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Montgomery surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Montgomery 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
1851 historical 2,518 #1,182
1861 historical 3,098 #937
1881 historical 4,774 #929
1891 historical 5,348 #876
1901 historical 6,111 #912
1911 historical 2,838 #1,837
1997 modern 8,166 #778
1998 modern 8,471 #780
1999 modern 8,595 #775
2000 modern 8,650 #769
2001 modern 8,421 #770
2002 modern 8,616 #765
2003 modern 8,447 #764
2004 modern 8,455 #760
2005 modern 8,426 #752
2006 modern 8,426 #755
2007 modern 8,537 #751
2008 modern 8,575 #752
2009 modern 8,789 #751
2010 modern 9,000 #750
2011 modern 8,902 #748
2012 modern 8,799 #743
2013 modern 8,899 #745
2014 modern 8,972 #742
2015 modern 8,852 #742
2016 modern 8,869 #738

Geography

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Where Montgomerys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lochs, Govan Combination, London parishes, Edinburgh and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Skye North West, Parkhead West and Barrowfield, New Cumnock, West Mainland and Stornoway East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lochs Ross And Cromarty
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Skye North West Highland
2 Parkhead West and Barrowfield Glasgow City
3 New Cumnock East Ayrshire
4 West Mainland Orkney Islands
5 Stornoway East Na h-Eileanan Siar

Forenames

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First names often paired with Montgomery

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Montgomery

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Montgomery, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Montgomery surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Montgomery household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Montgomery is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Montgomery is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Montgomery 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 Montgomery is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

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Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Montgomery

The surname Montgomery originates from the Old English words "munt" meaning hill or mountain, and "gumerigan" meaning of the men. It is believed to have first emerged in the 10th century in the Anglo-Saxon region of what is now Shropshire, England.

The earliest known record of the name is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Montgomerie" and associated with lands held by a Norman nobleman named Roger de Montgomerie. This suggests the name may have also been adopted or influenced by Norman French speakers after the conquest of England in 1066.

The Montgomery family held extensive lands and titles in Shropshire and the Welsh Marches during the medieval period. One notable member was Roger de Montgomery, who was one of William the Conqueror's chief counselors and was granted the Earldom of Arundel and Shrewsbury as rewards for his service.

In Scotland, the name emerged in the 12th century when Walter de Montgomerie was granted lands in Renfrewshire by King David I. The Montgomeries went on to become an influential noble family, with members holding the titles of Earl of Eglinton and Winton. Sir John Montgomery (1470-1513) was a prominent knight during the reigns of James IV and James V.

The Montgomery name also has a strong historical presence in Ireland, where it was first introduced by English and Scottish settlers during the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. One notable figure was William Montgomery (1633-1707), a Scottish soldier who served as a commander in the Irish Confederate Wars.

In the United States, some early bearers of the name include John Montgomery (1722-1808), a Pennsylvania legislator and judge, and Richard Montgomery (1738-1775), an Irish-born soldier who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and was killed in the Battle of Quebec.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Montgomery families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Montgomery 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. Lanarkshire leads with 932 Montgomerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.22x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 932 6.22x
Lancashire 409 0.74x
Middlesex 365 0.79x
Ayrshire 256 7.38x
Renfrewshire 240 6.68x
Ross-shire 235 18.46x
Midlothian 223 3.59x
Warwickshire 144 1.23x
Northamptonshire 142 3.26x
Dunbartonshire 133 10.68x
Northumberland 122 1.77x
Yorkshire 115 0.25x
Durham 111 0.80x
Surrey 85 0.38x
Argyllshire 79 6.12x
Angus 66 1.54x
Wigtownshire 65 10.56x
Hampshire 64 0.67x
Kirkcudbrightshire 64 9.54x
East Lothian 62 10.10x
Kent 58 0.37x
Stirlingshire 52 3.04x
Cumberland 45 1.13x
Sussex 41 0.52x
Cheshire 40 0.39x
Aberdeenshire 38 0.89x
Derbyshire 36 0.50x
Essex 35 0.38x
Perthshire 35 1.68x
Lincolnshire 32 0.43x
Staffordshire 31 0.20x
Devon 28 0.29x
Inverness-shire 27 1.95x
Roxburghshire 24 2.86x
Dumfriesshire 21 2.05x
Worcestershire 21 0.35x
Glamorgan 20 0.25x
Berwickshire 19 3.38x
Buteshire 19 6.76x
Gloucestershire 18 0.20x
West Lothian 18 2.58x
Banffshire 16 1.66x
Peeblesshire 16 7.34x
Somerset 15 0.20x
Caithness 13 2.05x
Bedfordshire 12 0.50x
Fife 11 0.40x
Royal Navy 10 1.81x
Flintshire 9 0.72x
Orkney 8 1.57x
Berkshire 7 0.20x
Leicestershire 7 0.14x
Oxfordshire 7 0.24x
Wiltshire 7 0.17x
Selkirkshire 6 1.43x
Cornwall 5 0.10x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.08x
Shropshire 5 0.12x
Kincardineshire 4 0.71x
Hertfordshire 3 0.09x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.11x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.10x
Clackmannanshire 2 0.52x
Isle of Man 2 0.23x
Sutherland 2 0.56x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.03x
Channel Islands 1 0.07x
Dorset 1 0.03x
Norfolk 1 0.01x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.07x
Rutland 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 276 Montgomerys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.44x.

Place Total Index
Govan 276 7.44x
Barony 242 6.38x
Glasgow 162 6.09x
Lochs 147 145.04x
Stornoway 80 48.21x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 76 3.04x
Liverpool 64 1.92x
Ashby St Ledgers 58 1394.23x
Abbey 56 10.22x
Kilwinning 46 41.06x
Kirkintilloch 46 27.18x
Mile End Old Town 45 6.15x
Dundee 43 2.68x
New Monkland 42 9.48x
West Greenock 38 5.89x
East Greenock 36 10.61x
Campbeltown 34 21.84x
Everton 34 1.94x
Port Glasgow 34 19.58x
Aston 32 0.99x
Dalry 30 18.38x
Manchester 28 1.13x
Rutherglen 28 12.73x
Tranent 28 33.75x
Inveresk 27 16.06x
Old Kilpatrick 27 18.34x
Birmingham 26 0.67x
Dundonald 26 20.33x
Gateshead 26 2.52x
Newcastle On Tyne St 26 7.27x
Auckinleck 25 23.28x
Dalserf 25 16.71x
Islington London 25 0.56x
Coventry St Michael 24 6.39x
Rotherham 23 8.88x
St Pancras London 23 0.62x
Troqueer 23 26.13x
Cardross 22 14.71x
Hackney London 22 0.85x
Blantyre 21 13.46x
Cambusnethan 21 6.31x
Preston 21 1.43x
St Maryle Wigford 21 36.47x
Toxteth Park 20 1.07x
Bethnal Green London 19 0.94x
Cadder 19 17.16x
Lambeth 19 0.47x
Perth East Church 19 9.69x
Wallsend 19 8.69x
Bow London 18 3.05x
Duirinish 18 25.51x
Hulme 18 1.57x
Kensington London 18 0.70x
Cambuslang 17 11.25x
Elswick 17 3.09x
Irvine 17 17.64x
Kilmarnock 17 4.12x
Old Monkland 17 2.86x
Southend 17 112.21x
Walton On Hill 17 5.71x
Brighton 16 1.01x
Newington 16 0.93x
South Leith 16 2.29x
West Kilbride 16 48.41x
Whittington 16 15.93x
Woolwich 16 2.74x
Barrow In Furness 15 2.01x
Chorlton On Medlock 15 1.72x
Eaglesham 15 68.15x
Kirdford 15 55.29x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 14 1.74x
Bothwell 14 3.44x
Chelsea London 14 1.00x
Heworth 14 5.15x
Liff Benvie 14 2.15x
Southampton St Mary 14 2.34x
St Marylebone London 14 0.57x
West Ham 14 0.69x
Birkenhead 13 1.59x
Hamilton 13 3.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 130
Elizabeth 59
Sarah 58
Margaret 55
Jane 44
Ellen 42
Alice 31
Ann 29
Eliza 29
Emma 22
Hannah 19
Annie 18
Catherine 16
Martha 13
Florence 12
Louisa 12
Maria 12
Edith 11
Emily 11
Rose 11
Charlotte 10
Agnes 9
Caroline 9
Clara 9
Frances 9
Janet 9
Ada 8
Beatrice 8
Harriet 8
Kate 8
Susan 8
Esther 7
Ethel 7
Helen 7
Isabella 7
Matilda 7
Grace 6
Lizzie 6
Rebecca 6
Amy 5
Anne 5
Eleanor 5
Elizth. 5
Fanny 5
Henrietta 5
Julia 5
Maud 5
Selina 5
Sophia 5
Anna 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 125
William 125
James 107
Thomas 69
Robert 54
George 49
Joseph 38
Henry 32
Charles 31
Alexander 23
Alfred 19
Hugh 17
Walter 17
Samuel 16
Andrew 13
David 13
Edward 13
Arthur 12
Francis 10
Richard 10
Peter 9
Albert 8
Frederick 8
Wm. 8
Ernest 7
Robt. 7
Archibald 6
Herbert 6
Thos. 6
Anthony 5
Edmund 5
Edwin 5
Daniel 4
Frank 4
Geo. 4
Harry 4
Matthew 4
Adam 3
Alexr. 3
Benjamin 3
Dennis 3
Josh. 3
Patrick 3
Chas. 2
Christopher 2
Kenneth 2
Lawrence 2
Mathew 2
Michael 2
Murdock 2

FAQ

Montgomery surname: questions and answers

How common was the Montgomery surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,774 people were recorded with the Montgomery surname. That placed it at #929 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Montgomery surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 8,869 in 2016. That gives Montgomery a modern rank of #738.

What does the Montgomery surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Gumarich's hill" in Norman French.

What does the Montgomery map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Montgomery 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.