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The Barge family name dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The name comes from when an early member worked as a barge-man. Three of the earliest instances of the name were royal bargemen for King Edward III, who reigned from 1327 to 1377. One of these three people's name explicitly indicates the occupational nature of the name Petrus del Barge. A modern transliteration of his name would be Peter of the Barge. 1
The surname Barge was first found in county Worcestershire, where Robert de le Bergh was recorded in 1221. 2 Later in Yorkshire, we found Patricius Bargeman listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barge research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1359, 1379, 1579, 1666 and 1749 are included under the topic Early Barge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Barge has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Barge have been found, including Bargery, Bargerey, Barge, Bargeman, Bargman, Bargh, Berge and many more.
Notables of this surname at this time include:
In the United States, the name Barge is the 8,675th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Barge is ranked the 5,607th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 4
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Barges to arrive on North American shores: