Montefiore (its variations, Montifiore, Montefiori, and Montifiori), is a surname, meaning "flower mountain". The surname is associated with the Montefiore family,

Sephardi Jews Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...

who were diplomats and bankers all over Europe. The name derives from one of three towns in Italy, although it is not known which one. By 1630 the Montefiores were

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in goods produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Merchants have been known for as long as humans have engaged in trade and commerce. Merchants and merchant networks operated i ...

s living in

Ancona Ancona (, also ; ) is a city and a seaport in the Marche region of central Italy, with a population of around 101,997 . Ancona is the capital of the province of Ancona, homonymous province and of the region. The city is located northeast of Ro ...

, with some of them later moving to

Livorno Livorno () is a port city on the Ligurian Sea on the western coast of the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Livorno, having a population of 152,916 residents as of 2025. It is traditionally known in English as Leghorn ...

. Notable people with the surname include: * Adam Montefiore (born 1957), British-born Israeli wine trade veteran and wine critic *

Alan Montefiore Alan Claude Robin Goldsmid Montefiore (29 December 1926 – 29 October 2024) was a British philosopher and Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford. He was a co-founder and Emeritus President of the Forum for European Philosophy, as well as Joi ...

(1926–2024), British philosopher and Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford *

Albert Montefiore Hyamson Albert Montefiore Hyamson, (27 August 1875 – 5 October 1954) was a British civil servant and historian who served as chief immigration officer in the British Mandate of Palestine from 1921 to 1934. The political Zionist of the 1910s and 19 ...

(1875–1954), British civil servant and historian, chief immigration officer in British Palestine 1921–1934 *

Claude Montefiore Claude Joseph Goldsmid Montefiore, also Goldsmid–Montefiore or just Goldsmid Montefiore (1858–1938) was the intellectual founder of Anglo-Liberal Judaism (UK), Liberal Judaism and the founding president of the World Union for Progress ...

(1858–1938), philosopher *

Dora Montefiore Dorothy Frances Montefiore (; 20 December 1851 – 21 December 1933), known as Dora Montefiore, was an English-Australian women's suffragist, socialist, poet, and autobiographer active in Britain. Early life Born Dorothy Frances Fuller at Ke ...

(1851–1933), English-Australian women's suffragist, socialist, poet, and autobiographer * Eliezer Levi Montefiore, businessman and art collector in Melbourne and Adelaide (nephew of Jacob and Joseph Barrow) *

Fausto Montefiore Fausto Montefiori (born March 16, 1906, date of death unknown) is an Italian boxer who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the IX Olympiad (), was an international multi-sport event that was ...

(1906–not known), Italian boxer * Georges Montefiore-Levi (1832–1906), Belgian politician, inventor and philanthropist *

Hugh Sebag-Montefiore Nicholas Hugh Sebag-Montefiore (born 5 March 1955) is a British writer. He trained as a barrister before becoming a journalist and then a non-fiction writer. Biography He has published two books on the history of the Second World War, of whic ...

(born 1955), author, attorney, and journalist *

Hugh Montefiore Hugh William Montefiore (born Hugh William Sebag-Montefiore; 12 May 1920 – 13 May 2005) was an English Anglican bishop and academic, who served as Bishop of Kingston from 1970 to 1978 and Bishop of Birmingham from 1978 to 1987. Early life and ...

(1920–2005), bishop of Birmingham 1977–1987 and environmentalist (born Hugh Sebag-Montefiore) *

Jacob Barrow Montefiore Jacob Barrow Montefiore (1801–1895) was a member of the South Australian Colonization Commission in London from 1835 to 1839, a body appointed by the British Government under King William IV to oversee implementation of the ''South Australia ...

(1801–1895), Colonial Commissioner for South Australia resident in London (brother of Joseph Barrow, cousin to Sir Moses) *

Jacob Levi Montefiore Jacob Levi Montefiore (11 January 1819 – 24 January 1885) was a British businessman and financier known for his activities in the Australian colony of New South Wales. Early life He was born at Bridgetown in Barbados to merchant Isaac Jacob ...

(1819–1885), Australian politician (brother of Eliezer Levi, nephew of Jacob and Joseph Barrow) *

John Israel Montefiore John Israel Montefiore (1807 – 14 February 1898), also known as John Julius Montefiore, was one of the first Jewish settlers in New Zealand. He became a trader and merchant in the Far North District of the country, and was later active in ...

(1807–1898), New Zealand trader and merchant *

Joseph Barrow Montefiore Joseph Barrow Montefiore (24 June 1803 – 8 September 1893), merchant and financier, was the youngest son of Eliezer Montefiore, merchant, of Barbados and London, and his wife, Judith (née Barrow). Montefiore was born on 24 June 1803 in Londo ...

(1803–1893), merchant and financier in the Australian colonies (brother of Jacob Barrow, cousin to Sir Moses) * Joseph Meyer Montefiore, president of the

Board of Deputies of British Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews, commonly referred to as the Board of Deputies, is the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the United Kingdom, after the Initiation Society which was founded in 1745. Established in 17 ...

, 1862–1868, 1868–1871, and 1874–1880 * Joseph Sebag-Montefiore (1822–1903) financier *

Judith Montefiore Judith, Lady Montefiore (née Barent Cohen; 20 February 1784 – 24 September 1862) was a British linguist, musician, travel writer, and philanthropist. She was the wife of Sir Moses Montefiore. She authored the first Jewish cook book written ...

(1786–1862), British linguist, musician, and philanthropist, wife of Sir Moses * Sir

Moses Montefiore Sir Moses Haim Montefiore, 1st Baronet, (24 October 1784 – 28 July 1885) was a British financier and banker, activist, Philanthropy, philanthropist and Sheriffs of the City of London, Sheriff of London. Born to an History ...

(1784–1885), prominent British financier, stockbroker, banker and philanthropist, husband of Judith * Moses Eliezer Montefiore (1798–1894), probably brother of Jacob and Joseph Barrow *

Leonard A. Montefiore Leonard Abraham Montefiore (1853, Kensington, London – 1879) was an author and philanthropist. He was a grandnephew of Moses Montefiore and a nephew of Francis Goldsmid. Education In October 1870 Montefiore entered University College London wh ...

(1853–1879), British author and philanthropist * Leonard G. Montefiore (1889–1961), Anglo-Jewish community leader and philanthropist *

Santa Montefiore Santa Montefiore (; born 2 February 1970) is a British author. Early life Santa Montefiore was born Santa Palmer-Tomkinson on 2 February 1970 in Winchester. Her parents are Charles Palmer-Tomkinson, formerly High Sheriff of Hampshire, and Pat ...

(born 1970), British author *

Simon Sebag Montefiore Simon Jonathan Sebag Montefiore ( ; born 27 June 1965) is a British historian, television presenter and author of history books and novels, including '' Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar'' (2003), '' Jerusalem: The Biography'' (2011), '' The Rom ...

(born 1965), British historian and author

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Montefiore Italian-language surnames

See also

References