Show ContentsRigler History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Rigler has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in a settlement called Wrigley, which experts theorize was in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Rigler belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Rigler family

The surname Rigler was first found in Wrigley Head, now part of Failsworth in Greater Manchester. 1 "This name seems to have passed over the borders from the West Riding of Yorkshire into South-East Lancashire, via Saddleworth, in which district it still possesses a strong foothold." 2

Ironically, the first record of the family was not Saddleworth, but in Derbyshire where Wills de Wriggeley was listed at Brampton, near Chesterfield in 1327-1328 as per the Lay Subsidy Rolls. Here the family held estates well into the 16th century as in 1556 Ralph Wrigly was appointed priest at Kirk Langley, by Henry Pole, Lord of the Manor. Through the years the family continued to be quite evident in Longford, west of Derby. Roger Wrigley was a priest at Prestwich in 1549 and curate at Oldham (1563-1575.)

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 has only one entry for the family, that of Willelmus Wryglegh; but the source Wills at Chester, has the following: John Wrgley, of Millington, 1576; John Wrigley, of Saddleworth, 1620; and Margaret Wrigley, of Saddleworth, 1635. 2

The American "Chewing Gum" Wrigleys trace back to Broadhead, Broadmeadow and Knowl, Yorkshire c. 1681.

Early History of the Rigler family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rigler research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1524, 1539, 1543, 1766, 1808, 1832, 1833, 1842, 1861, 1909 and 1932 are included under the topic Early Rigler History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rigler Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Rigler have been found, including Wrigley, Wrigly, Rigley, Riggeley and others.

Early Notables of the Rigler family

More information is included under the topic Early Rigler Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Rigler migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Rigler, or a variant listed above:

Rigler Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Leonard Rigler, who landed in Georgia in 1742 3
Rigler Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mersher Rigler, who arrived in Mississippi in 1876 3


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. 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)


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