Montgomery
Montgomery

MONTGOMERY/MOUNTGOMERY/MUNGUMBERRIE etc

 

Origin: From Hugo de Montgomeri or William Mungumerie of Sainte Foy de Montgomery or Saint Germain de Montgomery

 

From the book

The Conqueror and His Companions

by J.R. Planch, Somerset Herald. London: Tinsley Brothers, 1874.

"William sat on his war-horse and called out Rogier, whom they name De Montgomeri. ' I rely greatly on you. Lead your men thitherward and attack them from that side. William, the son of Osbern, the seneschal, a right good vassal,  shall go with you and help in the attack, and you shall have the men of Boulogne  and Poix and all my soldiers' " (i.e. paid troops -- mercenaries). Such are the words Wace puts in the mouth of the Conqueror. And yet, according to Orderic,  Roger de Montgomeri was not present at Hastings, having been left by the Duke in  Normandy, governor of the duchy.

So either the Montgomeries were at Hastings or they weren't! Despite that uncertainty is is clear the family were well up in the Norman Hierarchy.

The Northampton branch were based at Ecton where they held the manor from 1166. In 1574 the manor was sold to Thomas Catesby. The family bought Sherrington manor in Buckinghamshire and Houghton in Bedfordshire (both of which they subsequently sold).

My branch of the family first appear in Everdon (Northants) in the early 1600s. The Parish Registers are missing for some of the 1600s but from other information it seems that the first Montgomery to settle there was Thomas who was born about 1600. The family were reasonable prosperous (4 hearths in 1674) and during the 1600s are variously referred to as "gent", "grazier" and "steward of the (Fawsley) estate". It would seem likely that the family were involved in sheep grazing (much of the surrounding area had been cleared of people to provide greater areas for grazing) and it was from sheep that the Spencer family derived it's wealth. William Montgomery (born about 1660) lived in Wormleighton, one of the Spencer manors.

The family moved to Fawsley, Badby and Preston Capes before ending in Heyford where William (born 1765) farmed at White Hall – the house is still there today.

It is not clear how the Everdon branch link with the main body of Montgomeries. There are records of Montgomery families in Barby, Braunston, Crick and Wormleighton (in 1335 – see above), and on the basis of location it would seem likely that the Everdon branch are descended from one of these families.

If you have any information on the Everdon Montgomeries (or their ancestors) any information would be appreciated.

                          

address

To return to Surnames page