Montenegro
A surname taken from the place name Montenegro, literally meaning “black mountain” in Italian and related Romance forms.
The #3,365 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 29,110 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Montenegro is a place-name surname from the Balkan region known as Montenegro. The name is built from Romance words for “mountain” and “black” — literally “black mountain.” As a surname, it would have been adopted by someone identified with that place, or by descendants of a person so identified.
History
The surname is best understood as a locational name tied to the historic country and region of Montenegro on the Adriatic. It is found in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking contexts as well as in wider European usage, reflecting the movement of people from the Balkans and the spread of place-based surnames. The cited historical indexes list it among surnames beginning with Mont-, but do not supply a detailed etymology.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it literally means “black mountain,” Montenegro is one of those surnames whose meaning is almost transparent once you know the Romance roots.
From the historical record
“HENDERSON, Major PERCY E. A British Officer in the Balkans. Through Dalmatia, Montenegro, Turkey in Austria, Magyarland, Bosnia and Herzegovina. With 50 Illustrations and a Map. Gilt top. Demy 8vo, i6s. nett. HERBERT, GEORGE.”
— Family Names and their StoryNotable people named Montenegro
- Nicholas I of Montenegro (1841–1921)
- Luís Montenegro (b. 1973)
- Elena of Montenegro (1873–1952)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.