Digges History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Digges is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the baptismal name Dod, the short form of Roger. 1 Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.

Early Origins of the Digges family

The surname Digges was first found in Yorkshire where Doge filius Arnaldi was listed in the Pipe Rolls in 1196. In nearby Lancashire, Wigot filius Doge was listed there in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1214 and later Dogge was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1246. In Gloucestershire, Robert and Nicholas Dogge were listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1206. 2

To the south and west, in Stoke-Climsland, Cornwall "Climson belonged formerly to the family of Doidge, who had their seat there." 3

Early History of the Digges family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Digges research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1196, 1214, 1515, 1546, 1559, 1583, 1595, 1610, 1620, 1629, 1639, 1650, 1651, 1655, 1656, 1674, 1697 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Digges History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Digges 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 Digges include Dodge, Doidge, Doge, Doige, Doddge, Doges, Dodges, Doidges and many more.

Early Notables of the Digges family

Notables of the family at this time include

Leonard Digges (c.1515-c.1559), English mathematician and surveyor, credited with the invention of the theodolite
Sir Thomas Digges (1546-1595), an English mathematician and astronomer
Sir Dudley Digges (c.1583-1639), an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1610 and 1629, known as a "Virginia adventurer," an investor who ventured his capital in the...
Colonel William Digges (c. 1651-1697), early American politician in Colonial Virginia and a councillor in Colonial Maryland

Migration of the Digges family to Ireland

Some of the Digges family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Digges 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:

Digges Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Digges, who landed in Virginia in 1650 4
William Digges, who landed in Maryland in 1680 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Digges (post 1700) +

Deborah Digges (1950-2009), born Deborah Leah Sugarbaker, an American poet and teacher, awarded the Ingram-Merrill Award (1985), National Endowment for the Arts grant (1987), Delmore Schwartz Memorial Award (1987), Guggenheim Fellowship, (1988) and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award (1996)
Alyssa Digges, American actress, known for Dead by Dawn 2: The Mask of Conrad (2004)
Mae Digges, American actress, known for her role in San Francisco (1936)
J. M. Digges, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in San Juan de los Remedios, 1874 5
Edward S. Digges, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maryland, 1948 5
West Digges (1720-1786), English actor
Dudley Digges (1879-1947), Irish stage and film actor, known for his roles in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), The Invisible Man (1933), The Emperor Jones (1933) and The Maltese Falcon (1931)

Citations +

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)
Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
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 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html