Surname Egg - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'E'
Egg: What does the surname Egg mean?
The origin of the surname Egg dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The name is believed to come from the Old English "eg", which describes the shape of an egg. It was most likely adopted as a surname by a person who had an egg-shaped feature, such as the prominent chin which is sometimes referred to as an egg-face or an egg-chin.
Egg is also seen as a nickname and topographical name as it was apparently used to describe homes with half-timbered walls or roofs that resembled an egg in shape. It is also believed to be a shortened form of the name Hedgehog, derived from the Anglo-Nazi word "hedeg" meaning hedge and "hog" meaning hog; someone living in a hedged farm among the hogs may have adopted this as their surname.
The Egg surname was well established in Britain by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, and records from this period mention one Benedictus Egge, an Anglo-Saxon Monk living in the area of Worcestershire. Over the centuries, the Egg family expanded to many parts of the country, and bearers of the name can now be found mostly in England, but also in Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
As a family name, Egg stands for the courage, independence and perseverance of its early bearers, and reminds us of their determination to survive and thrive through difficult times.
Order DNA origin analysisEgg: Where does the name Egg come from?
The last name Egg is a fairly uncommon last name today. It is most commonly associated with people of Germanic and Swiss-Germanic origin, and was originally derived from the Old German residence name "Egga".
Today, people with the Egg surname are primarily concentrated in rural mountainous areas with deep ties to their Germanic heritage. In Switzerland, the Egg surname is most commonly found in cantons such as Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Uri. In the United States, people with the Egg surname are primarily concentrated in Pennsylvania, though there are also scattered Egg families in other parts of the country, including Wisconsin, Ohio, and Texas.
The Egg surname is also found in other parts of the world. In England, there are records of the Egg surname appearing in the 16th century. There are also records of the Egg surname appearing in France as far back as the 16th century as well. Additionally, there are Egg families located in Germany and Australia.
The Egg surname owes its existence to the early Germanic influences that were brought to the lands now known as Switzerland and Germany. People of Germanic heritage who settled these lands passed down their surname to their descendants, and so the Egg surname became established. Today, with the encroaching influence of globalization, the Egg surname is slowly becoming less common in many parts of the world, but is still a reminder of an important part of history.
Variations of the surname Egg
The surname Egg is a shortened form of the Germanic name Eck, which is derived from the Middle High German eck, meaning “corner” or “edge”. It is also the name ‘Ecke’ in some areas of Germany. Egg is the most common spelling for this name and is used in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.
Other variants of Egg include Eg, Eck, Ecke, Egge, Eggebrecht, Egler, Egloff, Egner, Eich, Eichner, Eichler, Eick, Eicker, and Eicken.
The surname Egg and its variants are found in Switzerland, Germany, Austria and other German-speaking regions throughout Europe. In the United States, families with this surname can be found primarily in Texas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and in Pennsylvania, where many Swiss-German immigrants settled. The Egg surname is also present in Australia, Canada, and South Africa.
The Egg surname is also spelled Egg, Ege, and Eget in Switzerland, and commonly Egger, Eggers, and Eggert in Germany. In Austria, Egger is the most common variant, but Eggerl, Eggers, Egger, and Eggebrecht are also present.
Additionally, in various regions of Germany, the surname is spelled Eich, Eichner, Eichler, Eggersdorfer, and Egler. In the Netherlands and parts of Belgium, Eggermann and Egging are the most common variant, with Eggerman, Eggersdorfer, and Egger extending to the border with France.
In general, variants of the Egg surname are related to the Germanic word for “corner” or “edge”. Its distribution throughout Europe mirrors the migration of people throughout the region during the Middle Ages. Regardless of the spelling, the Egg surname is an ancient one and is associated with German and Swiss regions.
Famous people with the name Egg
- Athena Egg: Athena is a professional mixed-martial arts fighter.
- Felix Egg: Felix is a German composer, conductor, and a much celebrated musician of the 19th century.
- Moritz Egg: Moritz was a Swiss ophthalmologist who developed the Egg Method for correcting strabismus.
- Alexander Egg: Alexander is a British comedian and actor who has appeared in various films and television shows.
- Thierry Egg: Thierry is a French sculptor known for his abstract bronze sculptures.
- Vaibhav Egg: Vaibhav is an Indian actor and producer who is known mainly for his work in the Tamil film industry.
- Ole Egg: Ole is a Norwegian decorative artist who has worked on several interior design projects.
- Gustav Egg: Gustav was a German painter and etcher known for his landscapes and marine scenes.
- Vinod Egg: Vinod was an Indian physicist and professor at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.
- Heinrich Egg: Heinrich was a Swiss author and poet best known for his work with the Swiss literary movement of the 19th century.