Age History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Age is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived near a prominent cliff or ridge; on a hillside. 1 2

Early Origins of the Age family

The surname Age was first found in Worcestershire where Henry del Egge was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1221. A few years later, John de Egge was listed in the Assize Rolls for Cheshire in 1260 and atte Egge was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327. 3

The original Edge family probably lived on the side of a hill and were described by the Saxon word "ecg" which meant "edge." After the Norman invasion of England in 1066 the surname was usually spelled "Egge." 1 4

Edge is a township, in the parish of Malpas, union of Great Boughton, higher division of the hundred of Broxton in Cheshire; a tything, in the parish of Painswick, union of Stroud, hundred of Bisley, in Gloucestershire; and a township, in the parish of Pontesbury, union of Atcham, hundred of Ford, S. division of the county of Salop (Shropshire.) 5 Another source claims "a location name in Yorkshire," 6 but we cannot trace this.

"The name of Edge is well represented in the Derby district. Several of the boroughreeves of Manchester bore this name last century." 7

In Somerset, early records there show Robert atte Egge and Is (?Isabel) atte Egge, Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 8 Only one entry was found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, that of John de Egge, Salop and similarly in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, Agnes del Egge. 9

In Lancashire, the Lay Subsidy Rolls record Henry del Egge of Withington, Lancashire, 1332; and John del Egge, of Reddish, Lancashire, 1332. "Therefore the Lancashire Edges probably hailed from Alderley Edge." 9

Early History of the Age family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Age research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1260 is included under the topic Early Age History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Age Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Age are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Age include: Edge, Edges, Egge, Eadge, Eadges, Egg, Eage, Egges, Eggs and many more.

Early Notables of the Age family

More information is included under the topic Early Age Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Age family to Ireland

Some of the Age family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Age migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Age or a variant listed above:

Age Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Hugh Age, who landed in Virginia in 1647 10

Age Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Mathieu Age, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 10
Goiug Age, who arrived in Virginia in 1715 10

Age Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Halstein Age, aged 11, who landed in New York, NY in 1836 10
Herborg Age, aged 4, who arrived in New York, NY in 1836 10
John J Age, aged 41, who arrived in New York, NY in 1836 10
Torbjore Age, aged 43, who landed in New York, NY in 1836 10
John M E Age, aged 25, who landed in Alabama in 1858 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Age (post 1700) +

Pierre Age, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 11

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) Pierre Age. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html