MONROE
Monroe is a surname of Gaelic origin traditionally associated with the British Isles, particularly Scotland and, to a lesser extent, England. The name first appears in medieval records as Munro, Munroe, Monro and Monroe.
The very earliest documented use of the name is in the charter of 1338 where a certain Robert de Monroe appears as a witness for King Robert I of Scotland. This person is generally regarded as the first recorded chief of the clan that bears the surname.
In subsequent centuries the surname continued to be recorded in Scotland, most notably in the charter of 1463 in which a Johannes de Monro of Foulis appears as a witness to the grant of the lands of Usuy. These early instances show the name already had firmly established itself as a hereditary family marker among the Scottish nobility.
The etymology of the surname is most commonly linked to the Gaelic words monadh or munro, which translate literally as “from the mount” or “from the hill”. This locational meaning implies that the earliest bearers of the name lived near or on a prominent hill or mountain during the early medieval period. Hence the surname is most common today in County Ross and in the neighbouring Highlands, but it is also found throughout Scotland.
There exists a tradition that the original bearers of the name entered Scotland from Ireland in the twelfth century; the name may therefore derive from the personal Gaelic name Maolruadh, meaning “the red haired tonsured one”, from maol – “bald” – and ruadh – “red” or “auburn”. In Ireland a different explanation exists, that the name denotes a man from the River Roe in County Derry. Despite these variations, the Irish prefix O’ never appears in Scotish usage, suggesting a purely Gaelic origin rather than Anglo‑Norse or Norman.
In later periods the surname was carried to the New World during the colonial era. An example is Andrew Monroe, who was a captive taken at the Battle of Preston in 1648 and subsequently shipped to the Virginia colony. He is recorded as having prospered there and in later generations his descendants became part of American society.
Perhaps the most famous bearer of the surname is James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States, who descended from the same family line that had been established in the Scottish Lowlands. His legacy has helped popularise the name internationally, particularly in the United States where it remains relatively common.
Today the surname Monroe can still be found in its traditional country of origin – Scotland – as well as in various English-speaking countries, notably the United States and Canada. The name continues to appear in church records, land deeds and census enumerations, preserving its historic connection to the hills of the Scots and the rolling pastures of the British Isles.
Typical given names associated with the Monroe surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- Clive
- David
- James
- John
- Jonathan
- Keith
- Mark
- Michael
- Robert
- William
Female
- Deborah
- Denise
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Lorraine
- Margaret
- Marilyn
- Mary
- Patrice
- Sarah
- Sheena
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Monroe in...
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There are approximately 417 people named Monroe in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around six in a million people in Britain are named Monroe.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Monroe
- Marilyn Monroe - American actress, model, and singer (1926 to 1962)
- James Monroe - American politician, 5th President of the United States (1758 to 1831)
- Jack Monroe - Writer, journalist and political campaigner
- Sue Monroe - Actress
- Gerry Monroe - Singer (1933 to 1989)
- Walter Stanley Monroe - Newfoundland politician (1871 to 1952)
- Joan Kiddell-Monroe - Book illustrator known best for the Oxford Myths and Legends series (1908 to 1972)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.