Montier

Recorded in several spelling forms including Delmont, Dumont, Mont, Monte, Monter, Montier, Montiere and Mounter, this is an Anglo-French surname. Recorded in both countries the derivation is either from the Olde English pre 7th century "munt" or the French "mont", meaning a mount or hill, with sometimes the Germanic suffix "-ier" or "-er", which when attached to a topographical feature means "dweller at such a place". Topographical names were among the earliest created since both natural and man-made features in the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguishing names in the small communities of the Middle Ages. The earliest examples of the surname recordings are in England as sadly the majority of early French registers were lost in the Revolution of 1792, when the church in all its forms was banned. Early examples include: John le Mountere of Hampshire, England in 1305 as noted in Fransson's "Middle English Surnames of Occupation", and Richard le Monter, in the Subsidy Rolls of Somerset in1327. Other recordings include Katherine Mounter, christened on September 15th 1594, at St. Botolph without Aldgate, London, Oierre Dumont of Rumigny in the Ardennes on March 30th 1621, whilst the French Huguenot refugees Phillipe Montiere was recorded at St Martins in the Field, Westminster, on August 10th 1698 and Jacques Montier, was a witness at the French Church, Threadneedle Street, city of Londfon, on December 7th 1774. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard del Mount, which was dated 1301, in the "Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire", during the reign of King Edward 1st of England, 1272 - 1307. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop," often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.