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Beggs History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Beggs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

To the ancient Scottish name Beggs was a nickname for a person who was small of stature or little deriving from the Gaelic word beag.

Early Origins of the Beggs family

The surname Beggs was first found in Inverness-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Nis) divided between the present day Scottish Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles, and consisting of a large northern mainland area and various island areas off the west coast, the shire was anciently both a Pictish and Norwegian stronghold, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Beggs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Beggs research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1296 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Beggs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beggs Spelling Variations

The appearance of the printing press and the first dictionaries in the last few hundred years did much to standardize spelling. Prior to that time scribes spelled according to sound, a practice that resulted in many spelling variations. Beggs has been spelled Begg, Beg, Begge, Beggs and others.

Early Notables of the Beggs family

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

Beggs Ranking

In the United States, the name Beggs is the 6,987^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Beggs family to Ireland

Some of the Beggs family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Beggs migration to the United States +

The expense of the crossing to the North American colonies seemed small beside the difficulties of remaining in Scotland. It was a long and hard trip, but at its end lay the reward of freedom. Some Scots remained faithful to England and called themselves United Empire Loyalists, while others fought in the American War of Independence. Much of this lost Scottish heritage has been recovered in the last century through Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important, early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Beggs:

Beggs Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Miles Beggs, who arrived in Maryland in 1716 2

Beggs Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Margaret Beggs, who arrived in America in 1804 2
Alex Beggs, who landed in America in 1804 2
Thomas Beggs, who landed in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1806 2
James Beggs, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 2
Richard Beggs, who arrived in Maryland in 1832 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Beggs migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Beggs Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mr. Wilson Beggs, aged 1 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lord Ashburton" departing 13th September 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 1st November 1847 but he died on board 3

Beggs migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Beggs Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Beggs, aged 31, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Sultana" 4
William Beggs, aged 31, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sultana" in 1851 4
Isabella Beggs, aged 31, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sultana" in 1851 4
David Beggs, aged 6, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Sultana" in 1851 4
Mary Beggs, aged 24, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1856 aboard the ship "Navarino" 5

Beggs 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:

Beggs Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. John Beggs, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th June 1858 6
Mr. James Beggs, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Victory " arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 17th October 1863 7
James Beggs, aged 44, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Glenlora" in 1873
Jane Beggs, aged 32, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Glenlora" in 1873
James Beggs, aged 39, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Christian McAusland" in 1875
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Beggs (post 1700) +

James Montgomery Beggs (1926-2020), American businessman and consultant, the 6th Administrator of NASA from 1981 to 1986
William Beggs, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Ohio State House of Representatives from Mahoning County, 1897 8
W. E. Beggs, American politician, Mayor of Lamar, Colorado, 1959 8
Lyall T. Beggs, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Wisconsin, 1952 8
John W. Beggs, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Schoharie County, 1928 8
James Beggs (1760-1835), American politician, Member of Indiana territorial House of Representatives, 1807-09; Member of Indiana State Senate, 1816-20 8
Helen Beggs, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1964 8
David W. Beggs, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois 22nd District, 1952 8
Charles Beggs (1775-1862), American politician, Member of Indiana Territorial House of Representatives, 1814-15; Member of Indiana State House of Representatives, 1817-19 8
Carol E. Beggs, American politician, Mayor of Salina, Kansas, 1992-93 8
... (Another 6 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Beggs family +

RMS Lusitania

Mr. John Beggs, English Senior 6th Engineer from Aintree, Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 9

USS Arizona

Mr. Harold Eugene Beggs, American Fireman First Class from Missouri, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 10

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 65)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SULTANA 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Sultana.htm
South Australian Register Friday 22nd February 1856. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Navarino 1856. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/navarino1856.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html