Ledge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England
• Scotland

Etymology of Ledge

Ledge is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Ledge family lived in Suffolk. Their name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Loges in Calvados, Normandy.

Not all of the family emigrated to early England as we found Richard, William, Ralph, Robert de Loges, Normandy, 1180-95 listed in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae. "Geroius de Logis occurs in Normandy 1050. From him descended Bigod de Loges, Baron of Aldford, Chester, and Odard de Loges, Baron of Wigton, Cumberland, temp. William I. The family also appears in Berkshire and Devon." 1

The name is also derived from the Middle English word "logge" which means "small cottage, place to rest in." By extension the variant Logge, was derived from "lytylle howse" and denoted 'dweller at the cottage', but probably often in a more technical sense, with reference to the masons' logge. The early "atte Logge" use often denoted the warden of the masons' lodge. 2

The surname also denotes "a temporary building; sometimes a more permanent one. In many instances a manor-house of small pretensions is called a Court-Lodge [from the] French loge, a lodge or cabin, particularly in Forest districts." 3

Early Origins of the Ledge family

Early History of the Ledge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ledge research. Another 181 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1327, 1520, 1558, 1562, 1563, 1575, 1582, 1625, 1648, 1649, 1677, 1689, 1716, 1719, 1730, 1744, 1751, 1756, 1759, 1771, 1772, 1773, 1774, 1782, 1787, 1793, 1801, 1821, 1822, 1828, 1832, 1838, 1839 and 1873 are included under the topic Early Ledge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ledge Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Lodge, Loge and others.

Early Notables of the Ledge family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Thomas Lodge, Lord Mayor of London (1562-1563); and his son Thomas Lodge (c. 1558 -1625), an English dramatist and writer.William Lodge (1649-1689), was an English engraver and printmaker from Yorkshire and John Lodge (d. 1774), was an archivist, born at Holton, Lancashire, the son of Edmund Lodge, farmer. He was educated at Clapham school, Yorkshire, under Mr. Ashe, and was admitted sub-sizar of St. John's College, Cambridge on 26 June 1716 (College Admissions Register). He graduated B.A. in 1719, M.A. in 1730. He settled in Dublin previously to 1744, in which year...
Another 318 words (23 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ledge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.