Show ContentsSage History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Sage is an occupational surname; that is, it is derived from the work of the original bearer. In this case it is derived from the occupation of carpenter or miller. The name is derived from the Old German word "sager," which means "sawyer," or a person who saws wood. Occupational names that were derived from the common trades of the medieval era transcended European cultural and linguistic boundaries.

Early Origins of the Sage family

The surname Sage was first found in Pomerania, previously composed of the northern German provinces of Brandenburg, Prussia, and Mecklenburg, where the name could be considered to make a great early contribution to the feudal society. The name became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in a constantly changing territorial profile. Chronicles first mention Johann Sager of Luebeck in 1307.

Early History of the Sage family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sage research. Another 171 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1639, 1776 and 1778 are included under the topic Early Sage History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sage Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Sager, Sage, Sagar, Seger, Saeger (Magdeburg and many more.

Early Notables of the Sage family

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sage Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sage Ranking

In the United States, the name Sage is the 3,241st most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Sage is ranked the 1,875th most popular surname with an estimated 3,281 people with that name. 2


United States Sage migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sage Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jan Sage who settled in Virginia in 1621 with his wife and six children
  • Gregory Sage, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 3
  • Gregory Sage, who settled in Virginia in 1643
  • David Sage, who arrived in Connecticut in 1650 3
  • David Sage who migrated from Wales and settled in Middletown Connecticut in 1652.
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Sage Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Sage, who arrived in New England in 1716 3
  • Joh Wilhelm Sage, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1744 3
Sage Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • James Sage, aged 24, who arrived in Missouri in 1840 3
  • J Sage, who landed in Georgia in 1850 3
  • Francis Sage, who arrived in the 1850's in San Francisco

Canada Sage migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sage Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Cumfort Sage, who landed in Canada in 1828
  • Charles Sage, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1830 4

Australia Sage migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Sage Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Robert Sage, English convict from Suffolk, who was transported aboard the "Argyle" on March 5th, 1831, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 5
  • Mr. John Sage who was convicted in Derby, Derbyshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Circassian" on 4th November 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
  • Mr. William Sage, (b. 1800), aged 42, English ploughman who was convicted in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 1st October 1842, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1863 7
  • Mr. Jonah Sage, (b. 1819), aged 27, English labourer who was convicted in Somerset, England for life for burglary, transported aboard the "China" on 160th January 1846, arriving in Norfolk Island, Australia 8
  • Mary Sage, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1859 aboard the ship "Clara"

New Zealand Sage migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Sage Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • George Sage, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1881
  • Agnes Sage, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1881
  • John Sage, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1881
  • Mary Sage, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Zealandia" in 1881
  • Ellen Sage, aged 24, a domestic servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ionic" in 1884

West Indies Sage migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 9
Sage Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • William and Hester Sage, who settled in Barbados in 1663
  • Richard Sage, who settled in Barbados with his servants in 1679

Contemporary Notables of the name Sage (post 1700) +

  • Robert Sage, American hotel executive, president of Sage Hotels & Lodges
  • Russell Sage (1815-1906), American financier
  • Michael Sage, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Missouri State House of Representatives 61st District, 2012 10
  • Henry Williams Sage (1814-1897), American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Tompkins County, 1847 10
  • Henry M. Sage (1868-1933), American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Albany County 4th District, 1899 10
  • Enoch Sage, American politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Chatham, 1820 10
  • Ebenezer Sage (1755-1834), American Democratic Party politician, Physician; U.S. Representative from New York 1st District, 1809-15, 1819-20; Delegate to New York State Constitutional Convention, 1821 10
  • E. C. Sage, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives 34th District, 1889-90 10
  • D. D. Sage, American politician, Member of South Dakota State Senate 20th District, 1897-98 10
  • Chauncey S. Sage, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Oswego County 3rd District, 1858, 1871-72 10
  • ... (Another 14 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. John George Sage (d. 1912), aged 44, English Third Class passenger from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 11
  • Mrs. Annie Elizabeth Sage (d. 1912), (née Cazaly), aged 44, English Third Class passenger from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 11
  • Miss Stella Anne Sage (d. 1912), aged 20, English Third Class passenger from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 11
  • Mr. George John Sage (d. 1912), aged 19, English Third Class passenger from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 11
  • Mr. Douglas Bullen Sage (d. 1912), aged 18, English Third Class passenger from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 11
  • ... (Another 6 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


Suggested Readings for the name Sage +

  • Sages: Past and Present: Descendants of David Sage, 1639 by Florence Sage Nylin.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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)
  4. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  5. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Argyle voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1831 with 251 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/argyle/1831
  6. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 8th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/circassian
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland
  8. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 5th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/china
  9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  11. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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