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Drage History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Drage History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The distinguished surname Drage comes from Germany, and is of two different origins. Firstly, the name is derived from the Middle High German word "dregher," meaning "peddler or porter." In this instance, the name would have been originally borne by a traveling merchant. Alternatively, the name is derived from the Low German word "trage," meaning "lazy, sulky." In this instance, the name would have been bestowed as a nickname on one who then passed it to his descendents as a hereditary surname.

Early Origins of the Drage family

The surname Drage was first found in Swabia and Saxony, its two regions of origin. The earliest recorded bearer of the name in Swabia was Walther Trager, who lived in Urach in the year 1383. The name was first recorded in Saxony in 1370, when Conrad Traghe was living in Hanover in 1370.

Early History of the Drage family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Drage research. Another 168 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1370, 1383, 1385, 1419, 1484, 1686 and 1749 are included under the topic Early Drage History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Drage Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Trage, Trager, Drage, Drager, Trader, Träger, Träge, Dräge, Dräger, Trahge, Trahger, Drahge and many more.

Early Notables of the Drage family

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

Drage migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Drage Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Theodorus Swaine Drage, who landed in North Carolina in 1769 1

Drage Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Caroline Drage, who arrived in Texas in 1845 1
Caroline Drage, who settled in Texas in 1845
Auguste Drage, who sailed from Hamburg to New York in 1873

Drage migration to Australia +

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

Drage Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Drage, (b. 1798), aged 26, English farm labourer who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for theft, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 2
Mr. Samuel Drage, English convict who was convicted in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Exmouth" on 3rd March 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 3
James Drage, aged 16, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "British Empire" 4
John Drage, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1850 aboard the ship "British Empire" 4
Elizabeth Drage, aged 63, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Steadfast" 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Drage 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:

Drage Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

J. Drage, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Tongariro" in 1888

Contemporary Notables of the name Drage (post 1700) +

Thomas Drage (b. 1992), Norwegian footballer

Citations +

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)
Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 26th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/exmouth
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) BRITISH EMPIRE 1850. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850BritishEmpire.htm
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STEADFAST 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/steadfast1852.shtml