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![Show Contents]() Gorges History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Gorges is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the given name of the father and was typically denoted as "the son of George." The personal name George was originally derived from the Greek word which means someone who was a farmer or someone who worked the land. 1 Another source claims a Norman influence as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae lists Richard and William de St. Georgio in Normandy as well as Robert, William, Ralph de St. Georgio were listed there 1180-1195. 2 Interestingly, one source notes the variant Georges was of some note, particularly in Ireland: "Of the family planted by the Georges of Hastings, branches spread over the counties of Hertford, Dorset, Somerset, and Wilts. In the last named shires it was seated at Longford, and possessed so influential a position, that Sir Edward Georges, of Longford, obtained a baronetcy in 1612, and was afterwards raised to the peerage of Ireland, as Baron Georges, of Dundalk. " 3 The Charge variant is derived from "Gardge, Gordge, Gorges, or Gaurges, from Gaurges in the Cotentin. Ralph de Gorges married the heiress of Morville, and acquired her estates in Dorset. Raoulde Gorges, married an heiress of Morville, and had the manors of Wraxall and Bradpole, cos. Dorset and Somerset, and was sheriff of Devonshire." 4 2 "The chateau de Gorges, one of whose lords was at the battle of Hastings, stands in the parish of the same name, in the canton of Periers, department of La Manche, Normandy." 4 Early Origins of the Gorges familyThe surname Gorges was first found in Dorset where it is noted as a somewhat rare name in mediaeval records. The popularity of the name increased during the Crusades which brought more contact with the Orthodox Church. St. George, who slew his famous dragon in 303 A.D., may have inspired the use of this name. In 1348, Edward III founded the Order of the Garter under the patronage of St. George and by 1415, a yearly festival was set in place that continues today. Today, St. George is considered the patron saint of England. One of the first records was Hugo filius Georgii who was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1222 in Norfolk. 5 By the time of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the name was scattered throughout ancient England and Wales. Those rolls listed: Robert Gorge in Oxfordshire; William Gorge in Cambridgeshire; and Jeorgius Clericus in Lincolnshire. 6 Guppy notes the "name at present most numerous in Monmouthshire, and after that in South Wales. Bare in the south coast counties, excepting Cornwall, and in the north of England, north of the Wash and the Dee." 7 Further to the north in Scotland, the name appeared later as "it was a not uncommon surname in Prestwick in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Archibald George appears as burgess and councillor of Irvine, 1597." 8 Early History of the Gorges familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gorges research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1412, 1471, 1511, 1566, 1594, 1625, 1626, 1640, 1644, 1647, 1674, 1677, 1678, 1690, 1700, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gorges History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Gorges Spelling VariationsBefore English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Gorges include George, Gorge, Gorges, Georgeson and others. Early Notables of the Gorges familyDistinguished members of the family include - Sir Ferdinando Gorges (1566?-1647), was an "English naval and military commander, Governor of Plymouth, the 'Father of English Colonisation in America,' of a family said to have been settled in Somers...
- Sir Arthur Gorges (d. 1625), was an English poet, and translator, third son of Sir William Gorges, vice-admiral of the fleet; his mother was Winifred, daughter of Roger Budockshide of St. Budeaux, Dev...
- Sir Theobald Gorges (died c. 1647), was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1644, supporter of the Royalist side in the English Civil War
 Migration of the Gorges family to Ireland
Some of the Gorges family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Gorges migration to the United States | + |
A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:
Gorges Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Robert Gorges, who landed in New England in 1623 9
- Elizabeth Gorges, who landed in New England in 1630 9
- Thomas Gorges, who arrived in New England in 1640 9
Gorges Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Jacob Gorges, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1741 9
- John David Gorges, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 9
- Johann Gorges, who landed in America in 1780 9
Gorges Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Mr. Gorges, who landed in America in 1835 9
- Heinr Gorges, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1835 9
- Joh Bernh Gorges, who arrived in America in 1839 9
- Fritz Gorges, who landed in Texas in 1850-1906 9
- Charles Gorges, who arrived in St Clair County in 1860 9
- Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
- The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
- Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
- Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
- 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)
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Gorges migration to the United States 
Belgium
England
Germany
Ireland
Scotland
