Show ContentsGiggs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Giggs family

The surname Giggs was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1205 when Thomas Geg held estates.

Early History of the Giggs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Giggs research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1263, 1455, 1487, 1500, 1508, 1530, 1570 and 1572 are included under the topic Early Giggs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Giggs 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. Giggs has been spelled many different ways, including Gedge, Gidge, Gigg, Gegg, Ginge, Genge and others.

Early Notables of the Giggs family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Margaret Giggs (1508-1570), birth name of Margaret Clement or Clements, understood to be one of the most educated women of the Tudor era...

Migration of the Giggs family

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 Giggss to arrive in North America: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands. Many settled in Newfoundland..


Contemporary Notables of the name Giggs (post 1700) +

  • Ryan Joseph Giggs OBE (b. 1973), born Ryan Joseph Wilson, a Welsh former footballer and current coach of the Wales National Team (2018); as a teenager he changed his name to his mother's surname. He was named as BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 2009


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