Show ContentsBaggett History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Today's generation of the Baggett family bears a name that was brought to England by the wave of emigration that was started by the Norman Conquest of 1066. It comes from "the Carlovingian Counts of Artois, whose descendants were advocates of Arras, Lords of Bethune, and Castellans of St. Omer, and were amongst the greatest nobles of Flanders." [1]

Early Origins of the Baggett family

The surname Baggett was first found in Staffordshire and Warwickshire, where early records show Bago, or Bagod de Arras in 1075 witnessing a charter in Flanders and show he came to England shortly after the Conquest. Bago of Bagod d'Artas held Bromley in Staffordshire in 1086. [2] A few years later, Rodbert Bagod witnessed a charter of Geva, founding Canwell Priory c. 1140. "A most ancient family, also coeval with the Conquest, descended from Bagod, who at the time of the compilation of the Domesday Book held Bromley of Robert de Stadford or Stafford." [3]

Sir Robert Bagod (died 1299) was an Irish judge appointed the first Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas in 1276. He built Baggotrath Castle in Dublin, but sadly no traces of the castle survive today. Born in Dublin, the son of Ralph Bagod; the Bagod family had come to Ireland in the 1170s with Strongbow. His son, Sir Robert Bagod (died after 1329) was an Irish judge, Crown servant and military commander in fourteenth-century Ireland.

Sir William Bagot (fl. 1397), was minister of Richard II, who appears early in his reign with Sir John Bussy and Sir Thomas Green as a member of his council. [4]

Blithfield in Staffordshire was an ancient family seat. "The Bagot family, of great eminence and antiquity, possessed this and the adjoining estate of Bagot's-Bromley, at the time of the Domesday Survey. In 1195 Hervey Bagot married the heiress of Baron Stafford; his son assumed the surname and title of Stafford, and became progenitor to the succeeding barons and earls of Stafford, and dukes of Buckingham. Of that branch of the family resident at Blithfield and Bromley, was Sir John Bagot, Knt., ancestor of Hervey Bagot, who was created a Baronet in 1627: William Bagot was made a Baron in 1780.

Blithfield Hall, the family seat, is an ancient mansion with embattled towers and walls; it stands in the vale of the Blithe or Blythe, on a beautiful lawn, and contains a large and valuable collection of paintings, among which are portraits of many distinguished persons." [5]

Early History of the Baggett family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baggett research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1120, 1160, 1166, 1198, 1256, 1276, 1290, 1382, 1383, 1386, 1388, 1399, 1402, 1407, 1408, 1415, 1495, 1591, 1616, 1626, 1644, 1660, 1663, 1668, 1673, 1674, 1679, 1690, 1693, 1695, 1698, 1704, 1707, 1708, 1712, 1784, 1791 and 1838 are included under the topic Early Baggett History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baggett Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Bagot, Bacot, Baggot, Bagott and others.

Early Notables of the Baggett family

Distinguished members of the family include Sir Richard Bagot, (c. 1256), Knight of Bagot's Bromley; his son Sir William Bagot (fl. 1276-1290), Knight of Bagot's Bromley; Sir John Bagot, Knight of Blithfield and Littlehay, Staffordshire was Lieutenant of Calais in 1408, later Ambassador to the Duke of Burgundy, and served with King Henry V at Agincourt in 1415; Sir William Bagot (died 1407), politician and administrator under Richard II, began career in politics in Warwickshire under the Earl of Warwick, served both John of Gaunt and his son Henry Bolingbroke, as well as Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk, future...
Another 171 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Baggett Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baggett Ranking

In the United States, the name Baggett is the 2,196th most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. [6]

Ireland Migration of the Baggett family to Ireland

Some of the Baggett family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 169 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Baggett migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Baggett or a variant listed above:

Baggett Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Nicholas Baggett, who landed in Virginia in 1715 [7]
Baggett Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • William Baggett, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Canopic" from Liverpool, England [8]
  • James E. Baggett, aged 18, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Noordam" from Rotterdam, Netherlands [8]
  • George E. Baggett, aged 48, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Baltic" from Liverpool, England [8]
  • George H. Baggett, aged 47, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Vasconia" from Newcastle-on-Tyne, England [8]

Contemporary Notables of the name Baggett (post 1700) +

  • William Boyce "Billy" Baggett (1929-2015), American professional NFL football player who played for the Dallas Texans in 1952
  • Owen John Baggett (1920-2006), American second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, recipient of the Prisoner of War Medal
  • Lee J. Baggett Jr. (1927-1999), American four star admiral in the United States Navy, Commander in Chief Europe in 1985 and Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Command from 1985–1988
  • Alley Baggett (b. 1973), American glamour model
  • Samantha Baggett (b. 1976), retired American soccer defender
  • Charlie Baggett (b. 1953), American college and NFL football coach
  • Alfred Baggett, American college football coach
  • Jesse Baggett, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Georgia, 1944
  • D. E. Baggett, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from North Carolina, 1956
  • Bryce Baggett, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Governor of Oklahoma, 1970; Candidate for U.S. Representative from Oklahoma 5th District, 1990 ; Candidate in primary for Oklahoma State Treasurer, 1994
  • ... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

SS Atlantic
  • Cathmer Baggett, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking


The Baggett Motto +

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: Antiquum obtinens
Motto Translation: Possessing our ancient honour.


  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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)
  8. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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