Show ContentsJudge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Judge reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Judge family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest in 1066. Judge is a name for a person who was an officer of justice. The name Judge was also a nickname surname for a person who was solemn and authoritative, or someone who behaved like a judge. The name is derive from the Old English word juge, which means judge.

Early Origins of the Judge family

The surname Judge was first found in Warwickshire where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Judge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Judge research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1202, 1260, 1296 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Judge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Judge Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Judge, Juge, Jude and others.

Early Notables of the Judge family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Walter Judge of Drumkarauch

Judge Ranking

In the United States, the name Judge is the 3,262nd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 1

Ireland Migration of the Judge family to Ireland

Some of the Judge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Judge migration to the United States +

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Judge or a variant listed above:

Judge Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Judge, who landed in Maryland in 1674 2
Judge Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Judith Judge, who settled in New England in 1748
Judge Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Judge, who landed in Alexandria, Va in 1817 2
  • Roger Judge, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 2
  • Phillip Judge, who arrived in New York, NY in 1817 2
  • Matilda Judge, aged 15, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1820-1873 2
  • James Judge, who landed in New York in 1845 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Judge migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Judge Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mary Judge, aged 19, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Britannia" from Sligo, Ireland
  • Mrs. Bridget Judge, aged 30 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Yorkshire Lass" departing from the port of Killala, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle In July 1847 3
  • Miss. Margaret Judge, aged 2 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Rankin" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle In August 1847 3
  • Mr. Morris Judge, aged 50 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Clarendon" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle In July 1847 3
  • Miss. Margaret Judge, aged 3 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Marchioness of Breadalbane" departing 11th June 1847 from Sligo, Ireland; the ship arrived on 12th August 1847 but she died on board 4
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Judge migration to Australia +

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

Judge Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Miss Bridget Judge, (b. 1796), aged 17, Irish convict who was convicted in Kildare, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Catherine" on 8th December 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
  • Mr.Henry Judge, (b. 1779), aged 40, Irish shoe maker who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Bencoolen" on 24th April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia before being transferred to Tasmania via the "Admiral Cockburn", he died in 1823 6
  • Mr.Thomas Judge, (Joice), (b. 1794), aged 25, Irish servant who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Bencoolen" on 24th April 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia before being transferred to Tasmania via the "Admiral Cockburn" 6
  • Mr. Frank Judge, English convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Lancastershire, England for 15 years, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 10th August 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
  • Mr. Jesse Judge, (b. 1790), aged 48, English labourer from Rolvenden, Kent, England travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Maitland" arriving in Patonga, New South Wales, Australia on 6th November 1838, he died in 1854 8
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Judge 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:

Judge Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Louisa Judge, (b. 1846), aged 17, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Huntress" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 21st April 1863 9
  • James Judge, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1870
  • Amos Judge, aged 29, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1872
  • Isabella Judge, aged 29, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1872
  • Ellen Judge, aged 6, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bebington" in 1872
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Judge (post 1700) +

  • Bernard Judge (1931-2021), American architect, known for his work on environmental planning, modern architecture, and historic preservation
  • Barbara Thomas Judge CBE (1946-2020), Lady Judge, née Singer, American-born, British lawyer and businesswoman, based in London with dual American-British citizenship
  • Bernard Judge (1940-2019), American journalist and manager, known for his work with the City News Bureau of Chicago, the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin
  • Thomas Lee Judge (1934-2006), American politician, Governor of Montana in 1972 and re-elected in 1976
  • Patty Judge (b. 1943), American Lieutenant Governor of Iowa from 2007 to 2011
  • William Quan Judge (1851-1896), American (Irish born) theosophist
  • Father Thomas Judge (1868-1933), American born to Irish immigrant parents, ordained as a Vientiane priest in 1899
  • John P. Judge, American politician, Representative from New York 26th District, 1908 10
  • John E. Judge, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 1940, 1944 10
  • James P. Judge, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1920, 1924, 1928 10
  • ... (Another 27 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Royal Oak
  • Fernleith G. Judge, British Musician with the Royal Marine aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 11
  • Peter Richard Judge (1909-1939), British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 11


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 36)
  4. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 81)
  5. Convict Records of Australia (Retreived 2nd January 2021, retreived from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/catherine
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bencoolen
  7. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie
  8. Ship Voyages to New South Wales (Retrieved 11th July 2021). Retrieved from https://indexes.records.nsw.gov.au/ebook/list.aspx?Page=NRS5313/4_4780/Maitland_5 Nov 1838/4_478000079.jpg&No=124
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  11. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html


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