Find out how popular the last name Montour is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Montour.

Montour, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Montour surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Montour in America

Montour is the 28065th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Montour surname appeared 853 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Montour.

We can also compare 2010 data for Montour to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Montour

The surname Montour originated in France during the 17th century. It is believed to have derived from the French words "mont" meaning mountain and "tour" meaning tower or watchtower, suggesting that the name may have been associated with a person who lived near a mountain with a watchtower or fortification.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Montour can be found in the French-Canadian archives from the late 1600s. These records indicate that the name was present among the early French settlers in what is now the province of Quebec.

In the early 18th century, the Montour name gained prominence through the figure of Madame Montour, a French-Canadian woman who married a Native American chief and became an influential interpreter and diplomat between the French and various Native American tribes in the Ohio Valley region.

Another notable individual with the Montour surname was Andrew Montour, born around 1720, who was the son of Madame Montour. He served as a guide and interpreter for the British during the French and Indian War and played a significant role in negotiating treaties with Native American tribes.

During the American Revolutionary War, a man named John Montour, born in the mid-18th century, served as a captain in the Continental Army and fought alongside George Washington's forces.

In the 19th century, the Montour name appeared in various historical records across North America, with individuals bearing this surname making contributions in various fields. One such individual was Joseph Montour, born in 1807, who was a prominent businessman and landowner in the state of Ohio.

Another noteworthy figure was Elizabeth Montour, born in 1853, who was a renowned educator and advocate for Native American rights in Canada. She played a crucial role in establishing schools and promoting education for indigenous communities.

Over the centuries, the Montour surname has spread to various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name leaving their mark in various fields, including politics, business, and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Montour

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Montour.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Montour was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Montour has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Montour was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Montour, please contact us.

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