Sprague History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Sprague was formed many centuries ago by the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It was a name typically given to a person who because of their physical abilities was referred to as "sprack" or "spragg." This nickname surname was used to denote those individuals who were "agile", "nimble" and "quite lively." 1 2 3
In Shakespeare's comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor, he states "He is a good sprag memory," IV. i. 84. 4
Early Origins of the Sprague family
The surname Sprague was first found in Suffolk where Reginald Sprag is listed in Suffolk in 1303. This is generally considered to be the first record of the family. A few years later, Richard Sprak was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327 and Alice Sprakes was listed in Somerset in 1359. 5
Early History of the Sprague family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sprague research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1618, 1620, 1632, 1645, 1655, 1664, 1673, 1677, 1684, 1695, 1720, 1725, 1919, 1944 and 1946 are included under the topic Early Sprague History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Sprague Spelling Variations
Before 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 Sprague include Spragg, Spragge, Sprague, Sprake, Sprigg, Spriggs and many more.
Early Notables of the Sprague family
Notables of this surname at this time include: Rev. Harvey Spragg of Essex; Joshua Sprigg or Sprigge (1618-1684), an English Independent theologian and preacher, chaplain to Sir Thomas Fairfax; and Francis Spriggs (died 1725), a British pirate active...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sprague Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Sprague Ranking
In the United States, the name Sprague is the 1,544th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 6
Migration of the Sprague family to Ireland
Some of the Sprague family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 113 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Sprague 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:
Sprague Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Mrs. Anne Sprague, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne" 7
- Mr. Francis Sprague, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne" 7
- Miss Mercy Sprague, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 aboard the ship "Anne" 7
- Ralph Sprague, who landed in Salem, Massachusetts in 1628 7
- William Sprague, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1628 7
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Sprague Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- John Sprague, aged 23, who landed in New England in 1775 7
Sprague Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Lorain Sprague, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
- C S Sprague, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 7
- T M Sprague, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 7
- G W Sprague, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 7
- F B Sprague, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1855 7
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Sprague migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Sprague Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
- Samuel Sprague, who landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1749-1752
- Rowland Sprague, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
Sprague Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Sylvinus Sprague, who arrived in Canada in 1831
- Foster N Sprague, who landed in Canada in 1836
Sprague migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Sprague Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. Robert Sprague, (b. 1797), aged 33, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Burrell" on 22nd July 1830, arriving in New South Wales 8
- Mr. Robert Sprague, British convict who was convicted in Berkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "England" on 6th June 1835, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
- William Sprague, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Theresa" in 1847 10
- John Sprague, aged 20, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Royal Albert"
- Thomas Sprague, aged 18, a miner, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Royal Albert"
Sprague 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:
Sprague Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. Sprague, American settler travelling from Honolulu aboard the ship "Tyrian" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 29th October 1851 11
Contemporary Notables of the name Sprague (post 1700) +
- Edward Nelson Sprague Sr. (1945-2020), American professional baseball pitcher who played eight seasons in Major League Baseball
- Thomas Lamison Sprague (1894-1972), American vice admiral of the United States Navy, Commander of the aircraft carrier Intrepid (CV-11)
- John Wilson Sprague (1817-1894), American general in the Union Army during the American Civil War, recipient of the Medal of Honor
- Lucian C. Sprague (1882-1960), American railroad executive
- George Able Sprague (1871-1963), American businessman and politician, Mayor of Dallas 1935-1937
- Charles Arthur Sprague (1887-1969), American politician, the 22nd Governor of the US state of Oregon from 1939 to 1943
- Charles Franklin Sprague (1857-1902), American politician, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts (1897-1901)
- Carl T. "Doc" Sprague (1895-1979), American country musician, often referred to as the "The Original Singing Cowboy"
- Mortimer "Bud" Sprague (1904-1973), American college football player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1970
- William Sprague (1609-1675), one of the first American settlers
- ... (Another 76 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Historic Events for the Sprague family +
- Mr. Thomas William Sprague, British Boatswain from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 12
Suggested Readings for the name Sprague +
- Ancestors of Moses Belcher, Bass, Born in Boston, July 1735, died January 31, 1817 by Susan Augusta Smith.
- One Branch of the Sprague Family by Gordon Harvey Sprague.
Citations +
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Dixon, Bernard Homer, Surnames. London: John Wilson and son, 1857. Print
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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 Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/burrell
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) THERESA 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Theresa.htm
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html