Contents [hide]

Riggs History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Riggs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England-Alt
England
Ireland

The origins of the Riggs name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Riggs was originally derived from a family having lived in Cumberland and Lancashire. This local name was derived from the local at the ridge or near a ridge. There are a variety of types of local surnames, some of which include: topographic surnames, which could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. The surname Riggs comes from the Old English word rigge, or the Old English word hrycg, both of which mean ridge. 1 2

Early Origins of the Riggs family

The surname Riggs was first found in Shropshire where William de Rigge was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1197-1198. Later and further to the north, John del Rigg was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for 1332 in Cumberland. 3

Early History of the Riggs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Riggs research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1410, 1567, 1591, 1601, 1602, 1612, 1613, 1635 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Riggs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Riggs Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Riggs include Rigge, Rigg, Riggs and others.

Early Notables of the Riggs family

Distinguished members of the family include Robert Rigge, Rygge or Rugge (died 1410), English Chancellor of the University of Oxford, a native of Devonshire, and possibly a relative of Thomas de Bitton, bishop of Exeter. 4Ambrose Rigg or Rigge (1635-1705), was an English Quaker, born at Brampton in Westmorland. He and his companion Thomas Robertson went to Rochester...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Riggs Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Riggs Ranking

In the United States, the name Riggs is the 886^th most popular surname with an estimated 34,818 people with that name. 5 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Riggs is ranked the 560^th most popular surname with an estimated 81 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Riggs family to Ireland

Some of the Riggs family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Riggs migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Riggs Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Riggs, who arrived in Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1633 7
Richard Riggs, who settled in Virginia in 1637
Richard Riggs, who landed in Virginia in 1645 7
Francis Riggs, who landed in Maryland in 1663 7
Thomas Riggs, who arrived in New England in 1664 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Riggs Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Abraham Riggs, who landed in Virginia in 1701 7
Martha Riggs, who arrived in Virginia in 1713 7
William Riggs, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1746 7

Riggs migration to Australia +

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

Riggs Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Riggs, English convict who was convicted in Poole, Dorset, England for life, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. Joseph Riggs, English convict who was convicted in Dorset, England for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 2nd November 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1894 9
Mr. Stephen John Riggs, English convict who was convicted in Dover, Kent, England for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 12th December 1849, arriving in Norfolk Island and Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
John Riggs, aged 37, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "Marshall Bennett" 11
Andrew Riggs, aged 48, a shepherd, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Thomas Arbuthnot"
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Riggs 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:

Riggs Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Amelia Thomasina Riggs, (b. 1859), aged 1 month, English settler, from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 12
Mrs. Mary Ann Riggs, (b. 1824), aged 35, English settler, from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 12
Mr. Andrew Cooper Riggs, (b. 1830), aged 29, English carpenter, from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 12
Mr. Andrew Cooper Riggs, (b. 1852), aged 7, English settler, from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 12
Mr. Arthur George Riggs, (b. 1853), aged 6, English settler, from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Robert Small" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th January 1860 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Riggs migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 13

Riggs Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

John Riggs, who settled in Jamaica in 1661
William Riggs, who settled in Barbados in 1684

Contemporary Notables of the name Riggs (post 1700) +

Robert Larimore "Bobby" Riggs (1918-1995), American tennis player, former World No. 1 and the co-World No. 1 amateur player in the 1940s, perhaps best remembered for his challenge match against Billie Jean King in 1973, one of the most famous tennis events of all time
Frank Duncan Riggs (1950-2023), American U.S. Army veteran, law enforcement officer, charter school executive, and Republican politician from the states of California and Arizona
Arthur Dale Riggs (1939-2022), American geneticist who worked with Genentech to express the first artificial gene in bacteria
Thomas Riggs Jr. (1873-1945), American Democratic Party politician, Governor of Alaska Territory, 1918-21; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Alaska Territory, 1920
Carl Riggs (b. 1877), American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Marion County Democratic Party, 1945
Dudley Riggs (1932-2020), American improvisational comedian who created the Instant Theater Company in New York
Chandler Riggs (d. 1999), American actor, known for his role as Carl Grimes on The Walking Dead
Ransom Riggs (b. 1979), American writer and filmmaker best known for the book Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
Lieutenant General John M. Riggs, retired United States Army American Army general, recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross
George Washington Riggs (1813-1881), American businessman and banker, known as "The President's Banker"
... (Another 40 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Riggs family +

Fraterville mine

Mr. Levi Riggs (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 14
Mr. Roy Riggs (d. 1902), American coal miner at Fraterville mine in Tennessee, on the 19th May 1902 when an explosion collapsed the mine; he died 14

The Riggs 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: Dum vivo cano
Motto Translation: While alive celebrate.

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
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
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
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)
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th March 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
South Australian Register Friday 29 April 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Marshall Bennett 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/marshallbennett1853.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
News paper article Fraterville Mine Disaster retrieved on 6th August 2021. (Retrieved from http://www.tn.gov/tsla/exhibits/disasters/fraterville.htm).