Show ContentsEgg History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Similar to many Austrian family names, the distinguished surname Egg is a proud sign of a rich and ancient ancestry. The earliest forms of hereditary surnames in Austria were patronymic surnames, which are derived from the father's given name, and metronymic surnames, which are derived from the mother's given name. Austrian and German patronymic names emerged as early as the mid-9th century. The patronyms were derived from a variety of given names that were of many different origins. The name Egg is derived from the Germanic given name Ogier or Edgar, which both combine elements meaning prosperity and spear.

Early Origins of the Egg family

The surname Egg was first found in Austria and southern Bavaria, where the family was anciently associated with the political and religious conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. The family founded numerous branches, many of which acquired manors and estates in surrounding regions, where they contributed to the prosperity of their society. Individual bearers of the name first mentioned in ancient chronicles include Heinrich auf dem Egg, who lived in Tyrol around 1297.

Early History of the Egg family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Egg research. Another 323 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1692, 1741, 1760, 1785, 1801 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Egg History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Egg Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Egg include Egger, Egg, Eggener, Egener, Eggere, Eggerer, Ecger, Ecgere, Eggen, Egen and many more.

Early Notables of the Egg family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Egg were

  • Franz Egger, a governmental advisor and professor of Law in Lower Austria, who was ennobled in 1815...
  • Joseph Egger was a major-general in the Austrian army and was ennobled in 1801...


United States Egg migration to the United States +

Austria was made a republic after the First World War. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was broken up by the Treaty of Versailles and many of its people found themselves in the new nation of Czechoslovakia. Many other Austrians and expatriate Austrians made their way to North America in the 20th century. Most landed in Philadelphia, later continuing on to the states of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, New York, and Maryland. Some Austrian settlers also went to western Canada and Ontario. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Egg or a variant listed above:

Egg Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Joane Egg, who landed in Virginia in 1664 1
  • Thomas Egg, who landed in Maryland in 1668 1
Egg Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Margreth Egg, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1734 1
  • Rodolph Egg, aged 19, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1735 1
  • Rudolf Egg, aged 19, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1735 1
  • Rudolph Egg, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1735 1
  • Hans Egg, who arrived in America in 1760-1763 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Egg (post 1700) +

  • Oscar Egg (1890-1961), Swiss track and road bicycle racer
  • Augustus Leopold Egg (1816-1863), English subject painter, son of Egg the well-known gunmaker in Piccadilly, where he was born on 2 May 1816

RMS Titanic
  • Mr. W.H. Egg (d. 1912), aged 34, English Steward from London, England who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 2


  1. 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)
  2. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook