Show ContentsSargeant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Sargeant comes from one of the family having worked as a person who held the official name of Sergeant or Serjant. This occupational surname referred to the individual who was an officer of the law, someone who could summon people to court. The name could also refer to the officer who was a tenant by military service under the rank of a knight.

Early Origins of the Sargeant family

The surname Sargeant was first found in Buckingham where John le Serjaunt was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The same rolls list Walter le Serjaunt, John le Serjant, Robert Sergant and Roger le Serjaunt. 1

Some of the family were found in early years in the parish of Endellion, Cornwall. "The manor of Trefrike or Trefreke, belonged at a very early period to the family of Serjeaux; since, so early as 1396 it passed with a co-heiress to the Marneys, and was afterwards in the family of Passelew, the descendants from another co-heiress of Serjeaux." 2

"The manor of Helland, which belonged at a very early period to the family of Sergeaux, passed from them by a co-heiress to Sir John Passele, who possessed it in the year 1427." 2

"The manor of Lanreath, Lanreth, or Lanretho, [in Cornwall] from which the name probably was made to extend to the whole district, belonged in the middle of the thirteenth century to the family of Serjeaux, by one of whose co-heiresses it was carried in marriage to the Pashleys." 2

Early History of the Sargeant family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sargeant research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1622, 1674, 1692, 1703, 1707, 1714 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Sargeant History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sargeant Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Sargeant have been found, including: Sargent, Sargant, Sargaunt, Sarguent, Sarjeant, Sargeant, Sergeant and many more.

Early Notables of the Sargeant family

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sargeant Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sargeant Ranking

In the United States, the name Sargeant is the 8,698th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Sargeant family to Ireland

Some of the Sargeant family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Sargeant migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Sargeant, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were :

Sargeant Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • James Sargeant, who settled in Salem Massachusetts in 1630
  • John Sargeant, who settled in Virginia in 1675
Sargeant Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Sargeant, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1822 4
  • Thomas Sargeant, who landed in New York, NY in 1838 4
  • Elizabeth Sargeant, who arrived in New York in 1842 4

Sargeant migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sargeant Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • William Sargeant, who landed in Canada in 1839

Sargeant migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Sargeant Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Alexander Sargeant, English convict from Cambridge, who was transported aboard the "Arab" on February 22, 1834, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 5
  • Henry Sargeant, aged 23, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Emigrant" 6

Sargeant migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Sargeant Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • James Sargeant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Queen of Beauty" in 1863
  • John Sargeant, aged 33, a farmer, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Clarence" in 1875
  • Elizabeth Sargeant, aged 32, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Clarence" in 1875
  • Sarah Sargeant, aged 8, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Clarence" in 1875
  • John Sargeant, aged 6, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Clarence" in 1875
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Sargeant (post 1700) +

  • M. Wheeler Sargeant, American politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 11th District, 1861; Member of Minnesota State Senate 11th District, 1862-63
  • Helen Sargeant, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 1948
  • Harry D. Sargeant, American politician, Mayor of Clearwater, Florida, 1950
  • Harry Sargeant, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Florida, 2008
  • Harry Sargeant (b. 1957), American billionaire diversified energy and shipping magnate
  • Lydell Ryan Sargeant (b. 1987), American football cornerback
  • Winthrop Sargeant (1903-1986), American music critic
  • Jack Sargeant (b. 1968), American writer specialising in cult film, underground film, and independent film, as well as subcultures and true crime
  • Frank Pilkington Sargeant (b. 1932), retired Anglican bishop
  • Mark Sargeant (b. 1973), English Michelin starred chef and restaurateur from Larkfield, Kent
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Arab voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1834 with 230 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/arab/1834
  6. South Australian Register Wednesday 25th October 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emigrant 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/emigrant1854.shtml


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