Bigby History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Bigby family

The surname Bigby was first found in Suffolk and Nottingham where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One source notes that the family could have been from Bigby, a parish, in the union of Caistor, S. division of the wapentake of Yarborough, parts of Lindsey, in Lincolnshire. 1

To the south in Devon, we found this interesting entry for the family: Bigbury [in the parish of Modbury] was held by lords of that name as early as the reign of John ; and after nine descents was brought by a coheiress to one of the Champernownes of Beer Ferrers, from whom it descended through the Willoughbys to the Paulets. There is a fifteenth-century Bigbury brass in the church." 2

Early History of the Bigby family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bigby research. Another 53 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1695, 1792 and 1881 are included under the topic Early Bigby History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bigby Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Bigby has been spelled many different ways, including Bigsby, Bixby, Bigby, Bigbury, Bigsbury and many more.

Early Notables of the Bigby family

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Jeremiah Bigsby (1792-1881), English geologist and physician, eponym of the Bigsby Medal; and Sir Thomas Bigsby. Angel Bix (d. 1695), was a Franciscan friar, who "after filling the office...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bigby Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bigby Ranking

In the United States, the name Bigby is the 17,447^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Bigby migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Bigbys to arrive in North America:

Bigby Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Bigby, who settled in Tobago in the West Indies in 1775

Bigby Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

C. Bigby arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851

Contemporary Notables of the name Bigby (post 1700) +

John Summerfield Bigby (1832-1898), American Republican politician, Delegate to Georgia State Constitutional Convention, 1867-68; Superior Court Judge in Georgia, 1868-71; U.S. Representative from Georgia 3rd District, 1871-73 4

The Bigby Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ad astra
Motto Translation: To the stars.

Citations +

Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 28) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html