EGGAR
Eggar is a surname of English provenance, the linguistic and historical traces of which are recorded in a variety of medieval and post‑medieval sources. Its presence is notable in the southern counties of England, where it has remained comparatively uncommon.
The name is documented as deriving from the Middle English word egger, which denotes an edge or border. In this sense, it was likely a topographic surname assigned to an individual dwelling near the perimeter of a settlement or the frontier of a field. Alternatively, it could have served as an occupational designation for one who worked at the margin of a field or estate.
Nevertheless, the surname also bears roots in Anglo‑Saxon onomastics. The Old English personal name Eadgar, composed of ead (prosperity, fortune) and gar (spear), was a name of considerable distinction within the royal house of Wessex. The name survived the Norman Conquest, appearing in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Edgar and Etgar, and later in Suffolk as Aedgar (1095) and Adger (1182). A similar form was preserved in Scotland, where the first recorded bearer was Eadgar, King of the Scots (1097‑1100). By the early 14th century the surname had been established there – a case in point being Richard Edgar of Wedderbie, who witnessed the second marriage of King Robert Bruce (1306‑1329).
In England a noteworthy early instance is found in the Book of Fees of Surrey, dated 1250, where a Thomas Edgar is listed; this document was compiled during the reign of Henry I, himself known as “the Frenchman” (1216‑1272). Subsequent entries in London Church Registers provide further evidence, including the marriage of James Edgar and Joane Watson at St. Giles’ Cripplegate on 14 August 1605.
Heraldically, a coat of arms has been granted to a family of this name. The shield, a blue field, bears a gold cross formed between four gold martlets, a design that evokes the martial associations of the older personal name.
In sum, the surname Eggar encapsulates a linguistic lineage that spans from Middle English topography to Anglo‑Saxon nobility, and its documented historical instances attest to a modest yet enduring presence within English society.
Typical given names associated with the Eggar surname
Male
- David
- Geoff
- John
- Jon
- Jonathan
- Mark
- Matthew
- Michael
- Nigel
- Paul
- Robin
- Simon
- Thomas
Female
- Clare
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Joanne
- Lynda
- Maegaret
- Margaret
- Muriel
- Rosemary
- Sophie
- Susan
- Zoe
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Eggar in...
Braille
⠑⠛⠛⠁⠗
Morse
.--.--..-.-.
Semaphore
There are approximately 228 people named Eggar in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around four in a million people in Britain are named Eggar.
Famous people named Eggar
- Samantha Eggar - Film, television and voice actress
- John Eggar - Cricketer (1916 to 1983)
- Katharine Emily Eggar - Composer (1874 to 1961)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.