Aggs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The surname Aggs is a name whose history on English soil dates back to the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The name Aggs comes from a the baptismal name for the son of Agace. As the naming tradition grew in Europe baptismal names began to be introduced in many countries. Baptismal names were sometimes given in honor of Christian saints and other biblical figures. There are very few Christian countries in Europe that did not adopt surnames from these religious figures.

Early Origins of the Aggs family

The surname Aggs was first found in Huntingdonshire (now a non-metropolitan district of Cambridgeshire) where early records of the name were found as both a forename and a surname. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 revealed: John Messor et Agacia, uxor sua in Cambridgeshire; Agacia de Gatesdon in Devon; Robert filius Agacie in Cambridgeshire; Symon Agace in Huntingdonshire; and William Agaz in Buckinghamshire. 1

The Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379 listed Simon Agasson.

Further to the north in Scotland, the variant Haggis is of "local origin from Haggis, a common place name occurring in the shires of Berwick, Ayr, Lanark, Renfrew, Aberdeen, and Banff. " 2 And the first records of the family include: "Gilbert of Haggehouse, a Scots merchant, was arrested at Lynn in England without cause, 1394; and William Haggus [who] held land in the Almory of Abirbrothoc in 1427." 2

Haggis is a savoury pudding and traditional Scottish dish. Thanks to Robert Burns' poem "Address to a Haggis" in 1787, the pudding is a favourite every Robbie Burn's Day where the poem is recited and the pudding is typically piped in with much ceremony.

Early History of the Aggs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aggs research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1379, 1540, 1564, 1601, 1621, 1662 and 1679 are included under the topic Early Aggs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aggs Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Aggs include Haggas, Haggis, Hagis, Hagass, Haggist, Hagges, Hages, Hagus, Hagase, Aggas, Agas, Aggs, Agace, Agus and many more.

Early Notables of the Aggs family

Distinguished members of the family include Robert Aggas, (d. 1679) an English painter, who was employed by Charles II as a scene-painter for the theatre in Dorset Garden. 3 Ralph Agas (1540-1621), was a land surveyor, who rose to eminence by making maps of London. He was a native of Stoke-by-Nayland, in Suffolk. 1 3 Benjamin Agus (fl...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Aggs Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Aggs family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Aggs or a variant listed above: Humphrey Haggist who settled in Virginia in 1654.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print