Contents [hide]

Liggett History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Liggett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

The name Liggett is derived from the Middle English and Old French word "legat," and the Latin legatus 1 meaning "ambassador, deputy." 2

"Often a pageantname. In 1377, in the procession for the entertainment of Richard, the young son of the Black Prince, was ‘one stately attired like a pope, whom followed twenty-four cardinals, and after them eight or ten with black visors, not amiable, as if they had been legates from some foreign prince’ " 3

Early Origins of the Liggett family

The surname Liggett was first found in Somerset where the Latin entry Hugolinus Legatus was recorded in 1084, two years before the Domesday Book of 1086.

However, another source explores this previous entry in more detail. "At the date of the Domesday Survey, Hervey Legatus was a tenant in capite in co. Bucks, and Richard Legatus had the same tenure in co. Gloucester." 1

Peter Legat was recorded in the Pipe Rolls for Cornwall in 1199 and later, Ralph le Legat was listed in the Assize Rolls for Northumberland in 1279. Richard Leget was found in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include: Geoffrey le Legat, Devon; Robert Legat, Cambridgeshire; and Thomas Legat, Norfolk. 2

Hugh Legat (fl. 1400), was a Benedictine, a native of Hertfordshire, was not improbably a member of the family which held a manor at Abbots Walden in that county, belonging to the monks of St. Albans. Bale says that Hugh Legat was brought up in the monastery school at St. Albans, displayed a strong love for learning, and went with the abbots leave to pursue his studies at Oxford, where, in the Benedictine hostelry of Gloucester Hall, St. Albans, like other abbeys of its order, had a house for its own scholars. 4

In Scotland, "Adam Legate who rendered to Exchequer the accounts of the bailies of Stirling in 1406 appears again in 1412 as burgess of the town. Walter Leget or Legat of Scotland had safe conducts into England in 1421-1422, and Master John Legat had a safe conduct to pass to Rome in 1448. Thomas Legat of Tayn witnessed a notarial instrument, 1477." 5

Early History of the Liggett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Liggett research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1403, 1406, 1407, 1408, 1412, 1540, 1549, 1574, 1575, 1586, 1588, 1589, 1590, 1591, 1597, 1602, 1604, 1608, 1609, 1611, 1612, 1620, 1635, 1651, 1660, 1668, 1669, 1670, 1671, 1672, 1676, 1685, 1693, 1708, 1710, 1715, 1716, 1730, 1755, 1780, 1797, 1809 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Liggett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Liggett Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Legat, Leggat, Leggatt, Leggate, Legatt, Legget, Liggat, Ligget, Liggett and many more.

Early Notables of the Liggett family

Notable among the family at this time was Helming Leget (died 1412), of Tottenham, Middlesex and Black Notley, Essex, an English politician, appointed Sheriff, Essex and Hertfordshire for...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Liggett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Liggett Ranking

In the United States, the name Liggett is the 7,397^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Liggett family to Ireland

Some of the Liggett family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Liggett migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Liggett Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Liggett, who arrived in America in 1796 7

Liggett Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John Liggett, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1809 7
A Liggett, aged 27, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1852 7
Alexander, George, Robert, Samuel Liggett, all, who arrived in Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1860

Liggett migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Liggett Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. George Liggett, aged 1 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 8
Mr. George Liggett, aged 1 year & 4 months who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Bee" departing from the port of Cork, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle on 1st June 1847 8

Liggett migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Liggett Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

James Liggett, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Aboukir" in 1847 9
Joseph Liggett, aged 45, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "William Prowse" 10

Liggett migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Liggett Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Mary Liggett, (b. 1837), aged 24, Irish settler, from Armagh travelling from London aboard the ship "Sebastopol" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th December 1861 11
Mr. Robert Liggett, (b. 1837), aged 24, Irish farm labourer, from Armagh travelling from London aboard the ship "Sebastopol" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th December 1861 11
Child Liggett, (b. 1861), aged Infant, Irish settler, from Armagh travelling from London aboard the ship "Sebastopol" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th December 1861 11

Contemporary Notables of the name Liggett (post 1700) +

Myron T. Liggett (1930-2017), American folk sculptor from Mullinville, Kansas
Walter William Liggett (1886-1935), American journalist who worked at the New York Times, The Sun, New York Post, and the New York Daily News
Louis Kroh Liggett (1875-1946), American drug store magnate who founded Rexall Drugs, chairman of United Drug Company
Hunter Liggett (1857-1935), American Lieutenant General of the United States Army
William M. Liggett, American politician, Member of Minnesota railroad and warehouse commission, 1891 12
Troy Liggett, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Indiana, 2004 12
Oscar Edward Liggett, American politician, Candidate in Republican primary for Michigan State Senate 2nd District, 1948 12
John Liggett, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, 1858-61 12
James Liggett, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Berks County, 1879-82 12
H. C. Liggett, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Iowa, 1908 12
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Liggett 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: Jesus hominum salvatore
Motto Translation: Jesus. The savior of mankind.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 39)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ABOUKIR 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Aboukir.htm
South Australian Register Monday 21st August 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) William Prowse 1856. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/williamprowse1854.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html