Show ContentsSauvage History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Sauvage evolved in the French province of Champagne in the Middle Ages. It was a name for a person who is considered to be unmannered or coarse. Originally the name Sauvage was from the Old French word "sauvage," meaning "savage."

Early Origins of the Sauvage family

The surname Sauvage was first found in Champagne, where the family was established in a village in the department of Haute-Marne, in the district of Wassy.

Several members of this distinguished family became renowned. Denis Sauvage, lord of Parc, was born around 1520 in Fontenailles. He was a writer and died around 1587. He is credited with some grammatical observations and translations. François-Clément Sauvage, an engineer and administrator, was born in 1814 and died in Paris in 1872.

Early History of the Sauvage family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sauvage research. Another 37 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1706, 1767, 1786, 1794, 1857 and 1877 are included under the topic Early Sauvage History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sauvage Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Sauvage, Sauvages, Sauvageau, Sauvageaud, Sauvageaut, Sauvageaux, Sauvageot, Sauvaget, Sauvagier and many more.

Early Notables of the Sauvage family

Notable amongst the family during this period was

  • François Sauvages de la Croix (1706-1767), a physician and botanist, the son of a former captain in the regiment of Flanders
  • Frédéric Sauvage (1786-1857), the inventor of a type of propeller

Sauvage Ranking

In France, the name Sauvage is the 229th most popular surname with an estimated 15,707 people with that name. 1


United States Sauvage migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sauvage Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Edmond Sauvage, who landed in Louisiana in 1718 2
  • Patrice Sauvage, who landed in Louisiana in 1718-1724 2
  • Johan Sauvage, aged 40, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 2
  • John Sauvage, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1738 2

Canada Sauvage migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sauvage Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Jacques Sauvage, son of Jacques and Marie, who married Catherine Jean, daughter of Vivien and Catherine, in Champlain, Quebec on 11th January 1690 3
Sauvage Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • François Sauvage, son of Pierre and Jeanne, who married Françoise Mouet, daughter of Pierre and Élisabeth, in Trois-Rivières, Quebec on 7th January 1716 3
  • Gilles Sauvage, son of Pierre and Jeanne, who married Marie-Anne Leblanc, daughter of Julien and Anne, in Montreal, Quebec on 22nd September 1723 3
  • Pierre-Charles Sauvage, son of Pierre and Marie, who married Marie-Anne Badeau, daughter of Fabien and Marie-Anne, in Quebec on 15th October 1724 3
  • Nicolas Sauvage, son of Gilles and Marie-Anne, who married Jeanne Barthe, daughter of Théophile and Marguerite-Charlotte, in Montreal, Quebec on 7th January 1749 3
  • Pierre Sauvage, son of Gilles and Marie-Anne, who married Marie-Josephte Pépin, daughter of Jacques and Élisabeth, in Longue-Pointe, Quebec on 21st September 1750 3
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Sauvage (post 1700) +

  • William M. Sauvage, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1920; Delegate to Illinois convention to ratify 21st amendment, 1933 4
  • Paul Sauvage (b. 1939), retired French footballer
  • Jean-Pierre Sauvage, French chemist
  • Henri Sauvage (1873-1932), French architectural designer
  • Frédéric Sauvage (1786-1857), French boat builder
  • Piat Jospeh Sauvage (1744-1818), Belgian painter
  • Alix Louise Sauvage (b. 1973), Australian Olympic Paralympic wheelchair racer
  • James Sauvage (1849-1922), Welsh baritone singer


  1. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  2. 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)
  3. Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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