Origin and history of upsurge

late 15c. (Caxton), "fountain, spring of water" (a sense now obsolete), a word of uncertain origin, probably from French sourge-, stem of sourdre "to rise, swell," from Latin surgere "to rise, arise, get up, mount up, ascend; attack," contraction of surrigere, from assimilated form of sub "up from below" (see sub-) + regere "to keep straight, guide" (from PIE root *reg- "move in a straight line," with derivatives meaning "to direct in a straight line," thus "to lead, rule").

The meaning "high, rolling swell of water, large wave or billow" is from 1520s; figurative sense of "an excited rising up" (as of feelings) is from 1510s. As "act of surging," by 1660s.

a prefix bringing various senses of up, including "toward a more elevated position; at or to a source, head, or center; in or to an erect position;" originally from Old English up (adv.). It corresponds to Dutch op-, German auf-, Old Norse upp-.

Modern formations with it include upchuck, update, upfield, upgrade (v.), upload, upswing (n.), upscale, uptight, all from 20c.

The prefix was highly productive in Old and Middle English (and among poets of all eras), forming up-verbs where modern English uses "verb up." Some of these (uplift) survive.

Many do not: Upbear, upblaze, upblow, upbreak, updress, upgive, uphang, upshut, upsit, upspeak, uptie, upthrow, upwake, etc. The old verbs are not so much archaic as dissolved. In a few cases two forms survive to sustain (sometimes contrary) distinct senses: Hold up and uphold; set up and upset.