Sack History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Sack was brought to Britain by the early Norman settlers that followed the 1066 Conquest of the island. The name is derived from the Old French word "sage," meaning "wise;" thus it is supposed that it was originally a nickname for a wise or learned person.

One of the oldest records of the family in Normandy was "Richard Sapiens or le Sage" who was listed there in 1198. Another source notes that Joen le Sage was also there(1180-1195.) All were listed in the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae. 1

Another source notes that the name "probably a translation of Le Sage, still a very common French surname. It has reference to the wisdom and prudence of the original bearer." 2 "This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the sage,' the wise, the sagacious." 3

Early Origins of the Sack family

The surname Sack was first found in various counties throughout ancient Britain. One of the first listings in England was Bernard le Sage in Norfolk, temp. Richard I (reign 1189-1199.) Later, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: Richard le Sage in Oxfordshire. 3 4 The Close Rolls listed William le Sage temp. 1 Edward I (during the first year's reign of Edward I.)

Much later, some of the family presumably migrated to Scotland where James Sage had precept of remission in 1536 and John Sage (1652-1711), was an Episcopal divine, born in Creich, Fife. 5

Early History of the Sack family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sack research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1536, 1651, 1652 and 1711 are included under the topic Early Sack History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sack 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 Sage, Sayge and others.

Early Notables of the Sack family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Sage (1652-1711), a Scottish nonjuring bishop and controversialist in the Jacobite interest. He was born in 1652 at Creich, Fifeshire, where...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sack Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sack Ranking

In the United States, the name Sack is the 9,190^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Sack family to Ireland

Some of the Sack family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sack migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Sack or a variant listed above:

Sack Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Christoph Sack, who landed in North Carolina in 1753 7
Johs Sack, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1753 7
Simon Sack, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1753 7
Johan Sack, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1756 7

Sack Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Karl Sack, who arrived in America in 1843 7
Ferdinand Sack, aged 25, who arrived in Texas in 1844 aboard the ship "Weser" 7
August Sack, who landed in America in 1845 7
Aaron Sack, who arrived in Mississippi in 1892 7
Sam G Sack, who landed in Mississippi in 1899 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Sack (post 1700) +

Kevin Sack, American journalist, is a senior reporter for The New York Times; he shared a Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2001 and shared the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting
Brian Sack (b. 1968), American writer and actor, host of The B.S. of A. with Brian Sack (2011-2014)
John Sack (1930-2004), American literary journalist and war correspondent
Steve Sack (b. 1953), American cartoonist who won a 2013 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning
Jack Sack (1902-1980), born Jacob Bernard Sacklowsky, an American football player and coach
Leo R. Sack (1889-1956), American diplomat, Ambassador to Costa Rica from 1933 to 1937
Robert L. Sack, American physician and researcher specializing in sleep medicine
Sallyann Amdur Sack, American genealogist, psychologist and editor of Avotaynu Magazine
Robert David Sack (b. 1939), American jurist, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (1998-2009)
Karl Sack (1896-1945), German jurist and member of the resistance movement during World War II; he was executed April 9, 1945 in Flossenbürg concentration camp
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

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)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"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)