| ![Show Contents]() Vigor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Vigor was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Vigor family lived in Cornwall. Their name, however, is a reference to St. Vigore Des Montes, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. Now known as Saint-Vigor, the Eure department is approximately 120 square miles. Early Origins of the Vigor familyThe surname Vigor was first found in Cornwall. They were originally from St. Vigore Des Montes in the arrondisement of St. Lo in the canton of Tessy, in Normandy. They were neighbors of the Traceys who also settled in the west country at Barnstaple in Devon. Not all of the family left Normandy for England as Simon Vigor (c.1515-1575) from Evreux, Normandy was a French Catholic bishop and controversialist. Early History of the Vigor familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Vigor research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Vigor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Vigor Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Vigors, Viggars, Vigars, Viggors, Viggers, Vigures, Vigours and many more. Early Notables of the Vigor familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was - Timothy Stonehouse Vigor, grandson of Sir James Stonehouse, and grand nephew of the Lord Bishop of Hereford, was a venerable archdeacon of Herefordshire
 Migration of the Vigor family to Ireland
Some of the Vigor family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 44 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Vigor migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Vigor or a variant listed above:
Vigor Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Alate Vigor, who landed in America in 1828 1
- Walter Vigor, aged 27, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1874 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Vigor (post 1700) | + |
- Richard Vigor, American politician, U.S. Consul in Bristol, 1801-05 2
- Eileen Vigor (b. 1935), former cricket player and English international lawn bowler who played five test matches for the England women's cricket team between 1963 and 1966
- David Bernard Vigor (1939-1998), French-born, Australian politician from Elboeuf, France, Member of the Australian Senate (1984-1987), representing the Australian Democrats and the Unite Australia Party
- Michael James Vigor (b. 1990), Scottish-born Australian professional basketball player from Westhill, Scotland
- Vigor Bovolenta (1974-2012), Italian volleyball player, member of the Italy National Team (1995-2008)
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: Spectemur agendo
Motto Translation: Let us be judged by our actions.
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
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Vigor migration to the United States 
England
Ireland
