Sadge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The name Sadge 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 Sadge family

The surname Sadge 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 Sadge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sadge research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1536, 1651, 1652, 1673, 1674 and 1711 are included under the topic Early Sadge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sadge Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Sadge were recorded, including Sage, Sayge and others.

Early Notables of the Sadge 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 his ancestors had lived for seven generations. His father was a captain in the royalist forces at the time of the taking...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sadge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sadge family to Ireland

Some of the Sadge family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 38 words (3 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 Sadge family

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Sadge arrived in North America very early: Jan Sage who settled in Virginia in 1621, a year after the "Mayflower" with his wife and six children; William and Hester Sage settled in Barbados in 1663.

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)