Montgolfier

Montgolfier is a French surname associated with early aeronautics and the invention of the hot air balloon. The name is most closely linked to the Montgolfier brothers, Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (1740–1810) and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (1745–1799), who were paper manufacturers from Annonay, Ardèche, France.

In the early 1780s the brothers began experimenting with the idea that heated air could provide lift for a lighter-than-air craft. Their work culminated in a successful series of demonstrations in 1783, which established hot air ballooning as a practical possibility. On June 4, 1783, a balloon built by the brothers carried living passengers—a sheep, a rooster, and a duck—on its first public flight in Annonay, demonstrating the concept of buoyancy produced by heated air.

Following these experiments, the technology was refined for human flight. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, Pilâtre de Rozier and the Marquis d'Arlandes made the first manned ascent in a Montgolfier balloon, marking a milestone in the history of aviation. The achievement sparked widespread interest in ballooning and contributed to the development of early aeronautics.

The Montgolfier surname thus denotes both the family behind the invention and the broader historical impact of their hot air balloon experiments. The term Montgolfier balloon remains a historical reference to the early era of ballooning and its pioneers. See also: Montgolfier balloon; Annonay; ballooning.