The Montgomery surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 115,953 people carried this name — #263 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 2,540 people counted. That is up 3% from 112,144 in 2000.
What the name means
The meaning of the Montgomery surname
From a Norman surname, from a place in Normandy (Old French for "Gomeric's hill"). Gumaric was a Germanic personal name composed of *gumô (“man”) and *rīks (“ruler”) (whence the modern French surnames Gomery, Gommery and Gumery or the Galician placename Gomariz).
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Montgomery» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.
In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890
Ireland registered 111 births for the Montgomery name in 1890.
Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 4,900 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. One of them was indexed under another spelling of the name. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “More than half are in Antrim and Down.”
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born, 1890
Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 37 people named Montgomery live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In the Nordic population registers
214 people named Montgomery is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).
Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s
Montgomery was found among the farmers of Northamptonshire: 25 in every 10,000.
Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.
Where it concentrates, on the mapPer 10,000 farmers, by county
H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.
In Scotland’s registers today
Montgomery was recorded 110 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.
That made it the 228th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 187. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.
National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
In the first U.S. census, 1790
223 families named Montgomery, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.
Each family is counted by its head. About 1,205 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 12 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.
Families, by state
U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 254 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.
In print
Montgomery in American newspapers,
1887–1930.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 24,810 pages in all carry the name.
In print
Montgomery in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.
98,116 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Montgomery. The most, 15,181, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Western Australia, at 1.7 times its expected share.
Articles, by state
Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Montgomery.
Who carried it
People named Montgomery,
with a public archive behind them.
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Everard of Calne 1050–1146 · Catholic priest -
Gabriel de Lorges, Count of Montgommery 1530–1574 · military personnel -
George Montgomery 1562–1621 · Anglican priest -
Sir James Montgomery, 1st Baronet 1721–1803 · judge -
William Montgomery 1736–1816 · judge
Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped — George Montgomery: Lobsterthermidor 11:49, 6 October 2016 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0); the others are in the public domain or CC0 · 198 lives in all are documented under this name.
In the public record
People named Montgomery,
in the records of 7 countries.
Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.
United States9,315 records
- U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 3,868
- U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 1,761
- Other U.S. records 3,686
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Example: U.S. war memorial War record Percy L. MontgomeryBorn 1928; from Cook County, Illinois. U.S. Army, medical aidman; killed in action 1951 in North Korea. Buried at Camp Butler National Cemetery, Illinois.
U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: U.S. registration card, 1942 Military record Minerva S. MontgomeryBorn 1896 in New York. Enlisted 1944 in the Women's Army Corps at Flushing; sales clerk. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1987, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.
U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) -
Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record Mary A. MontgomeryArrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 58; servant. From Dublin, Ireland; bound for New York.
U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
Showing 3 of 9,315 records for Montgomery in the United States.
Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).
Australia2,289 records
- Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,114
- Tasmanian Names Index 390
- Other Australian records 785
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Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Elizabeth MontgomeryTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Sea Queen, sailing from Woolwich in 1846. Native of Woolwich, Kent. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1849.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Isabella MontgomeryTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Aurora, sailing from London in 1851. Native of Inverness, Inverness-shire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1855.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) -
Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829 Transportation record Jane MontgomeryTransported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Garland Grove, sailing from Woolwich in 1842. Native of Glasgow, Lanarkshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1844. Married 1844 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 24.
Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 2,289 records for Montgomery in Australia.
Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain).
Canada432 records
- Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 150
- Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 83
- Other Canadian records 199
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Example: passenger manifest, 1903 Passenger record Chas MontgomeryCame to Ontario in 1873 aboard the Peruvian, landing at Portland, bound for Paris, Ontario.
Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. -
Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record William Bruce MontgomeryBuried in 1986 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 60.
City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. -
Example: Canadian cemetery Burial record Mary Patricia MontgomeryDied 1991, aged 78; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
Showing 3 of 432 records for Montgomery in Canada.
Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).
United Kingdom97 records
- Stirling Council burial records 45
- War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 34
- Other British records 18
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Alex MontgomeryDied 1934, aged 50; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.
Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Geo'e MontgomeryBuried in 1826 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 45.
MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. -
Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919 War record Robert MontgomeryDied 1915. Named in the University of Edinburgh roll of honour, 1914-1919.
National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
Showing 3 of 97 records for Montgomery in the United Kingdom.
Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).
New Zealand52 records
- Christchurch City cemetery records 41
- Marlborough District cemetery records 6
- Other New Zealand records 5
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Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Alma MontgomeryDied 1922, aged 24; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.
Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record William MontgomeryBuried in 1924 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 81.
Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) -
Example: burial register, 1858 Burial record Yvonne Merle MontgomeryDied 1972, aged 50; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.
Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 3 of 52 records for Montgomery in New Zealand.
Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).
France2 records
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Example: French death register, 1930 Death record Annette Marguerite MontgomeryBorn 1922 in Paris; died 1998 in Colmar (Haut-Rhin).
Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
Showing 1 of 2 records for Montgomery in France.
Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).
Netherlands2 records
- Dutch population registers 1
- Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
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Example: civil register, 1880 Death record Hugo Cecil Josia MontgomeryDied 1923 in Rhoon, aged 25.
Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
Showing 1 of 2 records for Montgomery in the Netherlands.
Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Montgomery.
- Montesdeoca 5,820 · U.S. census
- Montesinos 2,172 · U.S. census
- Montet 295 · U.S. census
- Monteverdi 139 · U.S. census
- Montez 10,097 · U.S. census
- Montfort 692 · U.S. census
- Monti 2,845 · U.S. census
- Monticelli 263 · U.S. census
- Montiel 12,376 · U.S. census
- Montigny 284 · U.S. census
- Montini 541 · U.S. census
- Montion 255 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Montgomery is.
A volume says what happened to it.
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