de la Motte refers to several noble families of French origin, some of which held high-ranking titles and offices in the French military, church, and royal court from the Middle Ages through the Ancien Régime.La Chesnaye-Desbois, Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, pp. 515–530. Several of these families are still extant and represented in the French Association d’entraide de la Noblesse Française (ANF). The name is also associated with a Swedish noble family descended from a French officer who settled in Finland in the early 17th century.Ramsay, Jully. Frälsesläkter i Finland intill stora ofreden. Helsinki: Söderström & C:o, 1909–1916.

de la Motte in France Multiple noble families in France bore the name de la Motte, several with documented high aristocratic status (*noblesse ancienne*). They were especially prominent in Normandy, Brittany, Picardy, Île-de-France, and Nivernais, and were active from the 14th century onward in military, ecclesiastical, and court service.La Chesnaye-Desbois, Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, pp. 515–530. Families included the branches de la Mothe-Houdancourt, de la Motte-Guistel, de la Motte-Fouqué, and le Clerc de la Motte.

Military and noble officeholders Philippe de la Mothe-Houdancourt (1605–1657), Duke of Cardona, Marshal of France, Viceroy of Catalonia, and general in the Spanish campaigns.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 516. Charles de la Mothe-Houdancourt (1643–1728), Marquis, lieutenant general, governor, and Grandee of Spain, son of Philippe.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, pp. 516–517. Henri-Charles de la Motte, colonel of the Royal Corps of Artillery and Engineers (1755), knight of the Order of Saint Louis, lord of La Motte (branch: de la Motte-Guistel).Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 527. Charles de la Motte-Guistel, knight, lord of Ville, Villers-la-Fosse, and Cuissy, aide-de-camp in the royal armies (1644), and cavalry captain (1652). Married Madeleine de Crécy; their son died in battle near Maastricht in 1673.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 526. Hector de la Motte, officer in the King’s household guard, titled *maréchal des logis général* for Île-de-France.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 526. Toussaint-Guillaume Picquet de la Motte (1720–1791), Count and admiral in the French Navy, highly distinguished during the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI.

Clergy and royal service Daniel de la Mothe, abbot, Bishop of Mende, royal preacher and adviser to Queen Henrietta Maria of France.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, pp. 515–516. Henri de la Mothe, Archbishop of Auch, Bishop of Rennes, court preacher to Queen Anne of Austria, and knight of the Order of the Holy Spirit.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 516. François-Auguste le Clerc de la Motte, captain and knight of the Order of Saint Louis, of the branch from Nivernais.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 522.

Early medieval mentions Noblemen named de la Motte are documented as early as the 14th century: Thibaut de la Motte, knight listed in a 1383 muster in Orléans.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 529. Jean de la Motte, recorded in a 1421 muster for the Count of Aumale.Ibid. Nicolas de la Motte, in military rolls from 1420.Ibid. C. & T. de la Motte, noble defenders of Mont-Saint-Michel against English forces in 1423 during the Hundred Years’ War.Ibid.

Other titled nobles Roger de la Motte, Viscount of Neufchâtel, mentioned in 15th-century legal records from the Échiquier de Normandie as *Seigneur de Sainte-Geneviève*.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 529. René de la Motte, Baron of Saint-Séverin and lord of la Motte-Fouqué, active in Normandy and Brittany.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, p. 530. Claude de la Motte († 1595), courtier in service of Queen Catherine de' Medici, captain and governor of Monceaux Castle in Brie.Dictionnaire de la noblesse, vol. 10, pt. 2, pp. 525–526.

de la Motte in Sweden and Finland A separate family line of French origin was introduced into the Swedish nobility in 1642. The family descends from Samson de la Motte, a French officer who served Sweden during the siege of Wollmar Castle in 1601. In recognition of his service, he was granted the estate of Lahis in Sääksmäki Parish (in present-day Finland), and promoted to major general.

His son, Carl de la Motte, was naturalized as a Swedish nobleman and introduced at the House of Nobility (Sweden) under number 280.Bäckmark, Magnus. Riddarhusets vapensköldar, Vol. I. Stockholm: Riddarhusdirektionen, 2019. Most descendants resided in Finland and pursued military careers. When Finland was ceded to Russia in 1809, the family was matriculated into the House of Nobility (Finland) in 1818 under number 23. The Finnish line became extinct in the male line in 1886 and on the female line sometime after 1936.

Etymology The name motte comes from Old French, meaning “mound” or “clod of earth,” and refers to motte-and-bailey castles—medieval fortifications built on artificial hills.

See also French nobility Swedish nobility House of Nobility (Sweden) House of Nobility (Finland)

References

External links de la Motte – Swedish House of Nobility de la Motte – Finnish House of Nobility