'surge' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'surgere', where the root 'surg-' meant 'to rise'.

'surge' changed from Latin 'surgere' into Old French forms such as 'surgir' and entered Middle English (e.g. forms like 'surgen'/'surg(e)') before becoming the modern English 'surge'.

Initially, it meant 'to rise or rise up'; over time it developed the modern senses of a sudden, powerful movement or a rapid increase ('a surge' in numbers, power, emotion, etc.).