Egger History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

Similar to many Austrian family names, the distinguished surname Egger is a proud sign of a rich and ancient ancestry. The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Austria were patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. Austrian and German patronymic names emerged as early as the mid-9th century. The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. The name Egger is derived from the Germanic given name Ogier or Edgar, which both combine elements meaning prosperity and spear.

Early Origins of the Egger family

The surname Egger was first found in Austria and southern Bavaria, where the family was anciently associated with the political and religious conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. The family founded numerous branches, many of which acquired manors and estates in surrounding regions, where they contributed to the prosperity of their society. Individual bearers of the name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Heinrich auf dem Egg, who lived in Tyrol around 1297.

Early History of the Egger family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Egger research. Another 323 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1692, 1741, 1760, 1785, 1801 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Egger History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Egger Spelling Variations

In the medieval era, many different cultural groups lived in the German states. There are thus many regional variations of German surnames from that era. Westphalians spoke Low German, which is similar to modern Dutch. Many German names carry suffixes that identify where they came from. Others have phrases attached that identify something about the original bearer. Other variations in German names resulted from the fact that medieval scribes worked without the aid of any spelling rules. The spelling variations of the name Egger include Egger, Egg, Eggener, Egener, Eggere, Eggerer, Ecger, Ecgere, Eggen, Egen and many more.

Early Notables of the Egger family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Egger were

Franz Egger, a governmental advisor and professor of Law in Lower Austria, who was ennobled in 1815...
Joseph Egger was a major-general in the Austrian army and was ennobled in 1801...

Egger Ranking

In the United States, the name Egger is the 8,941^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Egger migration to the United States +

After the First World War, Austria became a republic. The Treaty of Versailles broke up the empire in 1919 and many of the Sudeten Germans were incorporated into the new nation of Czechoslovakia. In the 20th century, many Austrians migrated to other parts of Germany or Europe, as well as to North America. In the United States, the majority of settlers landed in Philadelphia, and moved on to Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Many German settlers also migrated to Canada, particularly Ontario and the Prairies. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Egger were

Egger Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Peter Egger, who settled in Carolina in 1722 with his wife Verena Gillmann and their children
Hans Egger, who arrived in Carolina in 1733-1735 2
Peter Egger, who landed in Carolina in 1733-1735 2
Margaretha Egger, who landed in Georgia in 1738 aboard the ship "Charles" 2
Christian Egger, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1749 2

Egger Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Johannes Egger, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1803 2
William Egger, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1847 2
Johanna Egger, who landed in North America in 1850 2
Philipp Egger, aged 30, who arrived in New York in 1854 2
Xavier Egger, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1860 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Egger Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Niclaus Egger, who arrived in Kentucky in 1903 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Egger (post 1700) +

Émile Egger (1813-1885), French scholar, born in Paris
Urs Egger (1955-2020), Swiss film and television director
Joseph Egger (1889-1966), Austrian character actor of western films, best known for his roles in A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and For a Few Dollars More (1965)
Markus Egger (b. 1975), Swiss gold, two-time silver and bromze medalist professional beach volleyball player

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)