Last name origins & meanings:
- English (of Norman origin): of uncertain derivation. It may be
a habitational name, perhaps from a place called Ganges in southern
France. This is recorded in the 12th century as Agange and
Aganthicum, perhaps from a derivative of Latin acanthus
‘bear’s-foot’. On the other hand, it may be from the Old Norse
personal name Gangi, a cognate of Old English Gegn.
- German (Gänge): from Middle
High German genge ‘common’, ‘circulating (among the people)’,
‘sprightly’, hence an occupational name for a hawker or peddler;
perhaps also a nickname for an energetic person (see Genge
2).
- German (Gange or Gänge): from a short form of
the personal names Wolfgang or Gangulf, both formed with
Old High German gang- ‘gait’, ‘walk’ (+ wolf ‘wolf’).
|