Sturgis is a surname of Norman origin, shortened form of FitzTurgis "son of" (see Fitz) "Turgis" (former first name, now still common as a Norman surname, together with "Tourgis")[1] from the Old Norse Þórgísl or Old Danish Thorgisl ( the name of the god Thor, and -gísl "hostage, pledge"[2] or ON geisli "ray, pole (part of a weapon)" or OW.
Norse geisl "staff", cf.
Old Icelandic geisli "sun-shaft, sun beam"[3][4]).
It corresponds to the Nordic patronymic Þórgilsson (f. e. Ari Þorgilsson).