Sydge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Sydge was brought to Britain by the early Norman settlers that followed the 1066 Conquest of the island. The name is derived from the Old French word "sage," meaning "wise;" thus it is supposed that it was originally a nickname for a wise or learned person.

One of the oldest records of the family in Normandy was "Richard Sapiens or le Sage" who was listed there in 1198. Another source notes that Joen le Sage was also there(1180-1195.) All were listed in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae. 1

Another source notes that the name "probably a translation of Le Sage, still a very common French surname. It has reference to the wisdom and prudence of the original bearer." 2 "This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the sage,' the wise, the sagacious." 3

Early Origins of the Sydge family

The surname Sydge was first found in various counties throughout ancient Britain. One of the first listings in England was Bernard le Sage in Norfolk, temp. Richard I (reign 1189-1199.) Later, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Richard le Sage in Oxfordshire. 3 4 The Close Rolls listed William le Sage temp. 1 Edward I (during the first year's reign of Edward I.)

Much later, some of the family presumably migrated to Scotland where James Sage had precept of remission in 1536 and John Sage (1652-1711), was an Episcopal divine, born in Creich, Fife. 5

Early History of the Sydge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sydge research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1536, 1651, 1652 and 1711 are included under the topic Early Sydge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sydge Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Sydge have been found, including Sage, Sayge and others.

Early Notables of the Sydge family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Sage (1652-1711), a Scottish nonjuring bishop and controversialist in the Jacobite interest. He was born in 1652 at Creich, Fifeshire, where...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sydge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sydge family to Ireland

Some of the Sydge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sydge family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Sydge were among those contributors: Jan Sage who settled in Virginia in 1621, a year after the "Mayflower" with his wife and six children; William and Hester Sage settled in Barbados in 1663.

Citations +

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)