| ![Show Contents]() Virginia History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The surname Virginia comes from the Latin "virgo" meaning maiden, from which is derived the English word virgin. It is possible that the surname was originally a nickname for someone who had played the part of the Blessed Virgin Mary in a mystery play. Early Origins of the Virginia familyThe surname Virginia was first found in 1275 in Kent, where Simon Virg' who was listed in the Rotuli Hundredorum under the direction of Edward I. 1 Early History of the Virginia familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Virginia research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1428, 1581, 1587, 1610 and 1637 are included under the topic Early Virginia History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Virginia Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Virginia are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Virginia include Virgin, Virgine,Vergin, Vergine, Virgo, Virgoe and many more. Early Notables of the Virginia familyMore information is included under the topic Early Virginia Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Virginia migration to the United States | + |
Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Virginia, or a variant listed above:
Virginia Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Andrew Virginia, aged 22, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1848 2
| Contemporary Notables of the name Virginia (post 1700) | + |
- Sybil Virginia Plumlee (1911-2012), née Burgess, an American teacher, caseworker, and police officer who served in Portland, Oregon's Women's Protective Division, a special unit of the Portland Police Bureau, from 1947 to 1967, a pioneer in the law enforcement field
- Ellen Virginia Holly (1931-2023), American actress, best known for her role as Carla Gray–Hall on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live (1968–1980; 1983–1985)
- Hattie Virginia Feger, American educator on the faculty of Clark Atlanta University in the 1930s and 1940s
- Mary Virginia Gaver (1906-1991), American librarian, President of the American Library Association (1966-1967)
- Mae Virginia Cowdery (1909-1953), American poet and participant in the Harlem Renaissance
- E. Virginia Armbrust, American biological oceanographer, professor, and current director of the University of Washington School of Oceanography
- Florence Virginia King (1936-2016), American novelist, essayist and columnist
- Robin Virginia Wright (b. 1966), American Golden Globe Award winning actress, known for her roles in The Princess Bride (1987), Forrest Gump (1994) and House of Cards (2013)
- Eliza Virginia Capers (1925-2004), American Tony award winning actress
- Laura Virginia O'Hanlon Douglas (1889-1971), American who inspired the editorial "Is There a Santa Claus?" that included the famous reply "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus"
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: Nunc aut nunquam
Motto Translation: Now or never.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- 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)
|
Virginia migration to the United States 
