Berge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
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Netherlands
England
France
Germany

The ancient German region of the Rhineland, gave birth to the family name of Berge. At first, people used only a single name, but as the population grew and people began to travel, they began to find it necessary to take on an additional name to differentiate themselves. Fairly general principles guided the development of hereditary surnames in the Rhineland. Among the most common forms of surname found in the Rhineland are those that are derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an "eke-name" or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The name was derived from the German word "burc," which means a "fortified town." The surname Berge was a name for a person who lived in a town.

Early Origins of the Berge family

The surname Berge was first found in the Rhineland, where this family name became a prominent contributor to the development of the district from ancient times. Always prominent in social affairs, the name became an integral part of that turbulent region as it emerged to form alliances with other families within the Feudal System and the nation.

Early History of the Berge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Berge research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1540, 1550, 1556, 1573, 1579, 1589, 1599, 1716, 1763, 1765, 1834 and 1842 are included under the topic Early Berge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berge Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Berge include Berg, Bergh, Berghe, Bergg, Berge, Bergge, Burg, Burgh and many more.

Early Notables of the Berge family

Notables with the name Berge during this period were Adam Berg, a renowned music printer of Munich, whose publications extend from 1540 to about 1599. His great work was the 'Patrocinium musices,' published under the patronage of the Dukes of Bavaria, the first volume of which appeared in 1573. After the death of Duke Albrecht V, in 1579, the publication was interrupted, and not resumed till 1589, when the second series appeared, also containing five volumes. 1 George Berg, a German by birth, was a pupil of Dr. Pepusch. In 1763 he gained the first prize medal awarded by...
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Berge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Berge Ranking

In the United States, the name Berge is the 14,690^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2 However, in France, the name Berge is ranked the 1,390^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,124 people with that name. 3

Berge migration to the United States +

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans, including many Rhinelanders, made the voyage to North America between the 17th and 20th centuries. It was an escape from religious persecution and poverty and also an opportunity for people to start over and own their own land. Most landed at Ellis Island, off New York before moving on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and California. Some also landed in Canada and settled in Ontario, while others headed west to the prairie provinces. A study of passenger and immigration lists has shown a number of people bearing the name of Berge, or one of its variants, reaching North America shores very early:

Berge Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Louis Berge, who landed in Louisiana in 1718 4
Louis Berge, who landed in Louisiana in 1719 4
Louis Berge, who arrived in Louisiana in 1719
Jacques Berge, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 4
Christ Berge, who arrived in Long Island in 1781 4

Berge Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Hermann Zum Berge, who arrived in Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Creole" 4
Herman Zum Berge, who landed in Galveston, Tex in 1846 4
Thjosolf Berge, who arrived in Texas in 1846 4
Mrs. Sophie Berge, (nee Sturm), German who arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1846 aboard the ship "Creole"
Jacob Berge, aged 23, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1847 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Berge migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Berge Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Robert de La Berge, who settled in New France, at the age of 20. He spent most of his life in Ange Gardien, near the city of Quebec, where he established himself as a manufacturer and vendor of lime. He died in 1712 leaving behind him numerous and illustrious descendants throughout French Canada

Contemporary Notables of the name Berge (post 1700) +

Edward Henry Berge (1876-1924), American sculptor
Truman Berge, American officer in the air force in Virginia
Louis P. Van Den Berge, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State House of Representatives from Ottawa County, 1959 5
Edward C. Berge, American politician, First Selectman of Westport, Connecticut, 1904 6
Douglas P. Berge, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Rhode Island, 2012 6
Arthur T. Berge (b. 1907), American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Richmond County 1st District, 1945-48 6
Klaus Berge (b. 1961), former German footballer
Alain Bergé (1946-2024), known as Alain Dorval, a French voice actor
Pierre Bergé (1930-2017), French industrialist and patron, co-founder of the fashion label Yves Saint Laurent
François Berge, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 7
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Grove, Sir George, A Dictionary of Music and Musicians (AD. 1450-1889) London: Macmillan1902, Print, 2 Vols
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, February 11) François Berge. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html