Show ContentsEnger History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Enger is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Enger family lived in the area of Angers, Anjou France and is found there in charters in the Latinized form of Angevinus. 1

Early Origins of the Enger family

The surname Enger was first found in Essex, where Osmond Angevines held estates in 1086. 2 He and Wido Angevines were ancestors of a family which continued through to at least 1202 in the area. By 1165, some of the family had spread to Oxford, Surrey, York, and Norfolk. 3

In the Domesday "several of the name are found. The principal land-owner among them, who is supposed to have been of Breton origin, held considerable estates in Devonshire under Baldwin de Meules. A branch of Angers flourished at Carclew, from temp. Henry II. " 4

"Anger's Leigh in Somersetshire was held by the family from 1360 to 1427. John de Aunger served as knight of the shire for Leicester in three of Edward I.'s parliaments, and in the first held by Edward II. Josceline D'Aunger in 1169 witnessed the foundation charter of Lanercost Abbey, and Ralph de Angers in the thirteenth century held lands in Wilts. Ralph de Aungers was Sheriff of Notts, 49 and 50 Henry III. " 5

Lefuine Anger was listed in Suffolk in 1095 and Willelmus Angeri was recorded in Warwickshire in 1197. William filius Aunger was listed in Cambridgeshire in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. 6

Early History of the Enger family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Enger research. Another 247 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1280, 1300, 1500, 1558, 1605, 1632, 1639, 1640, 1655, 1660, 1669, 1677, 1700, 1702, 1706 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Enger History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Enger Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Anger, Angier, Aunger, Angeri, Angear, Ainger and many more.

Early Notables of the Enger family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Lefuine Anger, a prominent 11th century landholder in Suffolk; John Angier (1605-1677), an English nonconformist minister; and his nephew, Samuel...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Enger Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Enger Ranking

In the United States, the name Enger is the 14,919th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Enger family to Ireland

Some of the Enger family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 121 words (9 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 Enger family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Enger or a variant listed above: John Anger, who sailed to South Carolina in 1681; Elizabeth Anger to Virginia in 1723; Nicolas Anger to Philadelphia in 1736; George Anger to Philadelphia in 1754.


Contemporary Notables of the name Enger (post 1700) +

  • Leif Enger (b. 1961), American author, best known for his book Peace Like a River
  • Charles Van Enger (1890-1980), American cinematographer who worked in silent films
  • Melvin Enger, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Minnesota, 1948 8
  • Einar Enger (1950-2001), Norwegian businessman, Chief Executive Officer of Norwegian State Railways (2001-2011)
  • Thorleif Enger (b. 1943), Norwegian businessman, Chief Executive Officer of Yara International
  • Anne Enger (1949-1997), Norwegian politician, Deputy to the Prime Minister of Norway (1997-1998)
  • José Enger Veras Romero (b. 1980), Dominican Republic Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Houston Astros

USS Arizona
  • Mr. Stanley Gordon Enger, American Gunner's Mate Third Class from Minnesota, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 9


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. 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)
  4. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  5. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
  6. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  9. Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html


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