Agema

Agema is a Frisian patronymic surname meaning "son of Age." The root name Age is a Frisian form of Ago, which derives from Old High German ekka or Old Saxon eggia meaning "edge, blade," or alternatively from Old High German egi meaning "fear." The name Ago was borne by a 7th-century Duke of Friuli.

Etymology and History

The surname Agema follows the common Frisian naming tradition of adding -ma (meaning "son of") to a given name. It belongs to a class of surnames widespread in the Dutch province of Friesland and adjacent areas. The Italian form Aggio is a variant that emerged through linguistic evolution in Southern Europe.

Cultural Significance

While the surname is unrelated to the Ancient Greek military term agema (meaning a detachment of elite troops), the surprising homonymy sometimes leads to confusion. The Greek word, found in historical sources describing the Macedonian and Hellenistic armies, derives from ago ("to drive, to lead") and has a completely separate etymology from the Frisian name.

• Meaning: Patronymic, "son of Age"
• Origin: Frisian
• Related names: Age, Ago, Aggio
• Usage region: Netherlands (Friesland)