Surname Toerge - Meaning and Origin
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Toerge: What does the surname Toerge mean?
The last name Toerge is derived from the German surname Toergge which is thought to have originated as an occupational surname for someone who raised pigs or did work on or near a pigpen. The literal translation of the name is “pig pen” or “pigsty” but today it is usually interpreted as someone who worked or lived in a confined space.
The Toerge surname is believed to have originally come from Germany, and may have been coined during the medieval era when the great German language began to spread throughout the region. As the language spread, occupational or descriptive names such as Toerge came into existence.
Variations of the Toerge surname include Thurge, Tuurge, Toerger, Thuerge, Thuriger, Thurbing, Thurmiger, Thurmig, Thuringer, and Thurmings.
The Toerge name has maintained relative rarity over the centuries, and today remains quite unique. It's current-day bearers are primarily found in North America, where large waves of German settlers moved in the 19th century, including those with the last name Toerge.
While not a very common surname these days, the Toerge name is an important part of the German heritage, rooted in an earlier time of hard work and a strong work ethic.
Order DNA origin analysisToerge: Where does the name Toerge come from?
The last name Toerge is most commonly found in Germany today. The origin of the last name is from Middle Low German, meaning 'threshold'.
As is the case with many German names, it is likely that in the past this family was fairly mobile. Early records show the Toerge family spread across Germany, from Westphalia to Bavaria.
Today, the Toerge name is most often found in the south-western states of Germany. Sasbach, a village near the Baden-Wuerttemberg/Hesse border, is home to a significant number of Toerges. Other notable concentrations of the Toerge population occur in Rheinland-Pfalz. The village of Niederhausen an der Nahe has a particularly high density of this name.
The Toerge name is still quite common across Germany today. Without any major changes in spelling, it has remained remarkably consistent over the generations. Despite many changes in society, the number of Toerges continues to increase nationwide.
Variations of the surname Toerge
The Toerge surname is commonly spelled several ways, including Toerge, Törge, Torge, Torygge, and Terge. The variations of the surname are largely attributed to spelling inconsistencies over the years from the various language influences in Europe.
The surname is believed to originate from Germany, where it is known as Toerge, Törge, or Tuerge. The surname is derived from the Old German words "torch", "thurh", or "turg" which translates to “people of power” or “people of rank”. It is also possible that the surname could have originated from a personal or occupational name, since Toerge could be an adaptation of the word “torger”, an old German name for a farm manager.
In Sweden, the surname is spelled Torygge, and in Denmark, the spelling is Torge. The spelling could have also been altered due to language influences from both countries, as Sweden and Denmark had a great influence in the German-speaking cultures of northern Europe.
Other less common variations of Toerge include Terge, Torge, Torgee, Tergee, and Touregen. It is likely that each of these spellings were adopted over time to represent special nuances of particular families.
The Toerge surname can be found in many countries with families tracing their lineage back to Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. Those with the Toerge surname are believed to have originally settled in these countries between the 13th and 16th centuries.
Famous people with the name Toerge
- Michael Toerge: Michael Toerge is an American screenwriter and film producer with credits including Shrek Forever After, Monsters vs. Aliens, Over the Hedge and the Hercules TV series.
- Leonard Toerge: Leonard Toerge Sr. was a professional rodeo cowboy who won multiple world titles and championships in his career such as the National Finals Rodeo title and the All-Around Cowboy title.
- Sarah Toerge: Sarah Toerge is an American college softball player playing for the Stanford Cardinal softball team in Stanford, California.
- Lexi Toerge: Lexi Toerge is an American figure skater competing in the ladies’ singles division and finished in the top 10 at the 2018 US Figure Skating Championships.
- Jeff Toerge: Jeff Toerge is an American film and television editor and producer having worked on films such as Batman Returns, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and Catch Me If You Can.
- Amelia Toerge: Amelia Toerge is an American actress having starred in films such as Suburban Cowboy, Family Weekend, and Talked In.