Show ContentsSpriggs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Spriggs Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Spriggs

What does the name Spriggs mean?

The history of the name Spriggs begins in the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for a person who because of their physical abilities was referred to as "sprack" or "spragg." This nickname surname was used to denote those individuals who were "agile", "nimble" and "quite lively." 1 2 3

In Shakespeare's comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor, he states "He is a good sprag memory," IV. i. 84. 4

Early Origins of the Spriggs family

The surname Spriggs was first found in Suffolk where Reginald Sprag is listed in Suffolk in 1303. This is generally considered to be the first record of the family. A few years later, Richard Sprak was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327 and Alice Sprakes was listed in Somerset in 1359. 5

Early History of the Spriggs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Spriggs research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1618, 1620, 1632, 1645, 1655, 1660, 1664, 1673, 1677, 1684, 1695, 1720, 1725, 1919, 1944 and 1946 are included under the topic Early Spriggs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spriggs Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Spriggs are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Spriggs include: Spragg, Spragge, Sprague, Sprake, Sprigg, Spriggs and many more.

Early Notables of the Spriggs family

  • Francis Spriggs (died 1725), was a British pirate active in the Caribbean and the Bay of Hounduras during the early 1720s. William Sprigg (fl. 1655-1695), was an English pamphleteer, born in or near B...

Spriggs Ranking

the United States, the name Spriggs is the 4,435th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Spriggs family to Ireland

Some of the Spriggs family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 113 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spriggs migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Spriggs or a variant listed above:

Spriggs Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Mary Spriggs, who landed in Virginia in 1724 8
Spriggs Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Spriggs, who arrived in New York in 1834 8

Spriggs migration to Canada +

Spriggs Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Ms. Ann Spriggs U.E. who arrived at Port Roseway, [Shelbourne], Nova Scotia on December 13, 1783 was passenger number 502 aboard the ship "HMS Clinton", picked up on November 14, 1783 at East River, New York, USA 9

Spriggs migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
  • Miss Isabella Spriggs, (Francis), British settler convicted in Northumberland, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Mary Ann" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 7
  • Mr. Robert Spriggs, (Sprige), (d. 1797), British settler convicted in Northumberland, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for breaking and entry, transported aboard the ship "Britannia" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 8
Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Spriggs Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Spriggs, (b. 1817), aged 17, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 27th September 1834, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 10
  • Mr. George Spriggs, English convict who was convicted in Northampton, Northamptonshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Charles Kerr" on 6th June 1837, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Mr. William Spriggs, English convict who was convicted in Birmingham, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "China" on 176th January 1846, arriving in Norfolk Island, Australia 12
  • William Spriggs, aged 21, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Trafalgar" 13
  • William Spriggs, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Trafalgar" in 1849 13

Spriggs 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:

Spriggs Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. James Spriggs, (b. 1823), aged 36, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mary Anne" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th August 1859 14
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Spriggs, (b. 1834), aged 25, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mary Anne" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th August 1859 14

Contemporary Notables of the name Spriggs (post 1700) +

  • William Edward Spriggs (1955-2023), American economist who worked as chair of the Howard University Department of Economics from 2005 to 2009 and Assistant Secretary of Labor for Policy from 2009 to 2012
  • Marcus Spriggs (b. 1974), former NFL offensive lineman
  • Larry Spriggs (b. 1959), American former professional basketball player
  • John T. Spriggs (1825-1888), U.S. Representative from New York
  • George Spriggs (b. 1937), American former professional baseball player
  • John J. Spriggs, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wyoming, 1916 15
  • John J. Spriggs, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Michigan 5th District, 1907 16
  • John Spriggs Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Wyoming, 1952 16
  • Edgar M. Spriggs, American politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Montana 2nd District, 1944, 1946 16
  • ... (Another 10 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Dixon, Bernard Homer, Surnames. London: John Wilson and son, 1857. Print
  3. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  4. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  5. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  8. 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)
  9. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  10. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
  11. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 1st February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/charles-kerr
  12. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 5th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/china
  13. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The TRAFALGAR 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Trafalgar.htm
  14. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  15. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 27) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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