Show ContentsSugar History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Sugar

What does the name Sugar mean?

Sugar is one of the oldest family names to come from the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the baptismal name for the son of Sigar which was an Old English personal name. One source claims the name was Norman in origin from Segre in Anjou. 1

Early Origins of the Sugar family

The surname Sugar was first found in Devon, where the name was first listed as Sagar and Segarus in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2 Later, Galfridus filius Seger was listed in 1222, again in Devon. Over in Dorset, Walter Sagar was listed there in the Pipe Rolls of 1195. John Seger was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 in Norfolk. 3 The same source lists: Henry filius Sigar in Cambridgeshire; and William Siger in Norfolk. 4

Kirby's Quest lists John Seger in Somerset, 1 Edward III (in the first year of Edward III's reign.) 5

Early History of the Sugar family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sugar research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1549, 1557, 1563, 1564, 1633, 1667, 1681, 1693 and 1768 are included under the topic Early Sugar History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sugar Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Sugar has undergone many spelling variations, including Segar, Seeger, Seegar, Sigar, Sugar, Seager, Sager, Saker, Sakar and many more.

Early Notables of the Sugar family

Notables of the family at this time include Francis Segar or Seagar (fl. 1549-1563), an English translator and poet, "whose name, variously spelt, is that of an old Devonshire family, was probably the 'Francis Nycholson, alias Seagar,' who was made free of the Stationers' Company on 24 Sept. 1557. 6Sir William Segar (c.1564-1633), was an English portrait painter and Garter King-of-Arms to the court...
Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sugar Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Sugar migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Sugar were among those contributors:

Sugar Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jane Sugar, who landed in Maryland in 1660 7
Sugar Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Sugar, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 7
Sugar Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • George Sugar, who arrived in America in 1810 7
Sugar Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Hymi Sugar, aged 19, who settled in America from London, England, in 1904
  • Israel Sugar, aged 9, who landed in America from London, England, in 1907
  • Eva Sugar, aged 7, who immigrated to America from London, England, in 1907
  • Harry Sugar, aged 5, who landed in America from London, England, in 1907
  • Fanny Sugar, aged 30, who landed in America from England, London, in 1908
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sugar 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:

Sugar Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Lockhart Sugar, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Sugar (post 1700) +

  • Leo Tateusz Sugar (1929-2020), American professional NFL football player who was a defensive end for the Chicago Cardinals/St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, and the Detroit Lions
  • Sidonia Fried Sugar, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from New York 18th District, 1938 9
  • Maurice Sugar (1891-1974), American politician, Representative from Michigan 13th District, 1918, 1936; Progressive Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1948 9
  • Keith A. Sugar, American politician, Mayor of Santa Cruz, California, 1999-2000 9
  • Joseph L. Sugar, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly, 1928, 1935; Candidate for New York State Senate, 1936, 1938 9
  • Jane Mayer Sugar, American politician, Candidate for Michigan State Auditor General, 1918 9
  • Carl Sugar, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from California 11th District, 1954 9
  • A. Albert Sugar, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 5th District, 1940 9
  • Sugar Mercado, Filipina dancer and actress


  1. 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)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  6. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  7. 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)
  8. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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