Anger (surname)

Anger is a surname of likely Germanic origin, though its etymology remains somewhat debated. Several possible origins are cited by surname dictionaries and genealogical resources.

One potential origin is from a Germanic personal name, possibly a shortened form of a compound name beginning with the element "Angil," which might be associated with the Angles, an ancient Germanic people who gave their name to England.

Another possibility is a topographic surname derived from a place name. In some regions, "Anger" refers to a village green or common pasture. Therefore, someone living near such a place might have acquired the surname.

A further suggestion is that "Anger" could be derived from a medieval occupational name, though the specific occupation is not consistently defined and requires further research. It might be associated with someone who lived on or maintained a village green.

The surname Anger is found across various European countries, including Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands, and can also be found in countries where people from these areas emigrated, such as the United States and Canada. Variations in spelling may occur due to regional dialects and orthographic changes over time.

Due to the multiple potential origins and the passage of time, tracing the specific lineage of individuals with the surname Anger requires careful genealogical research, often utilizing historical records such as parish registers, census data, and land deeds. The absence of a single, definitively proven origin necessitates considering multiple possibilities when researching the surname's history.