Show ContentsBarge History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Barge

What does the name Barge mean?

The origins of the name Barge are in the Old French/Middle English word "burgeis," which denoted a freeman of a fortified town. Generally, the name made its way to England with the Normans, and then across to Ireland, but it in some cases it may have crossed directly from England to Ireland. In Irish Gaelic, the name has been written "Brugha."

Early Origins of the Barge family

The surname Barge was first found in County Wexford (Irish: Loch Garman), founded by Vikings as Waesfjord, and located in Southeastern Ireland, in the province of Leinster, where one named Burgess was a witness to the Charter of Rosbercon in New Ross. In 1420, another Burgess was recorded as an assessor for County Kildare. In Dublin, records include many references to the name Burgess.

Early History of the Barge family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barge research. Another 25 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1681 is included under the topic Early Barge History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barge Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Burgess, Burys and others.

Early Notables of the Barge family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Daniel Burgess, a Dublin priest in 1681, who was notorious for his attacks on the Quakers. Henry Burgess, the sheriff of Kilkenny...
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Barge Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Barge Ranking

In the United States, the name Barge is the 8,675th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Barge is ranked the 5,607th most popular surname with an estimated 1,000 - 1,500 people with that name. 2


Barge migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Barge Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Giles Barge, who landed in Maine in 1669 3
Barge Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jacob Barge, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1760 3
  • George Barge, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1770 3
  • Fred Barge, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1786
  • Frans Barge, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1798 3

Barge 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:

Barge Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Samuel Barge, aged 26, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Avalanche" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name Barge (post 1700) +

  • John D. Barge (b. 2011), American politician, Georgia Superintendent of Schools
  • Ron Barge (1937-2024), Canadian children's television presenter (CFCN-DT), best known as the host of the children's The Buck Shot Show
  • Gillian Barge (1940-2003), born Gillian Betty Bargh, an English stage, television and film actress, born in Hastings, Sussex


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. 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)


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