Montrose

This noble name is of medieval Scottish origin and is locational from the coastal town of Montrose, situated between Aberdeen and Dundee. The derivation is from the French 'mont', mountain and 'rose', the flower, or perhaps, referring to the colour. As a surname Montrose appeared in records as 'Monros' or 'Munroos' until 1385, for example, Mestre Mathen de Monros, a clerk in Perth in 1296, John de Monros, vicar of Tarwais in 1342, Nicholas of Munroos (1375), Robert of Montrose, prior of St. Serf's, was elected prior of St. Andrew's in 1385. James Graham, the fifth earl and first marquis of Montrose (1612-1650), a royalist and general, is also remembered as a poet for his songs and epigrams which were printed in Mark Napier's 'Memoirs of Montrose' in 1856. In the records in Montrose, Angus, is the christening of one James Montrose on November 10th 1681. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry de Monros, which was dated 1218-1222, Episcopal Register of Brechin, Edinburgh, during the reign of King Alexander 11, 1214-1249. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.