Contents [hide]

Biggs History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Biggs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Biggs is rooted in the ancient Norman culture that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It was a name for someone who was a large, stout, or strong man. The name is Old Norse in origin, and stems from the Old English root bigge.

Early Origins of the Biggs family

The surname Biggs was first found in Essex, where they had been granted lands by King William after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Biggs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Biggs research. Another 83 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1606, 1659 and 1917 are included under the topic Early Biggs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Biggs Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Biggs, Bigg, Big, Bigge, Byggs, Bygges, Bigges and others.

Early Notables of the Biggs family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Tristram Biggs of Little Langford in Wiltshire

Biggs World Ranking

In the United States, the name Biggs is the 1,502^nd most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 1 However, in New Zealand, the name Biggs is ranked the 945^th most popular surname with an estimated 791 people with that name. 2 And in the United Kingdom, the name Biggs is the 834^th popular surname with an estimated 8,102 people with that name. 3

Biggs migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Biggs or a variant listed above:

Biggs Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Richard Biggs, aged 41, who arrived in Virginia in 1610 aboard the ship "Swan" 4
Mrs. Sarah Biggs, aged 35, who arrived in Virginia in 1618 aboard the ship "Mary Gold" 4
Thomas Biggs, who landed in Virginia in 1622 4
Richard Biggs, who landed in Virginia in 1623 4
Mrs. Biggs, who arrived in Virginia in 1623 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Biggs Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Biggs, who arrived in America in 1795 4

Biggs Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Andre Biggs, who landed in Louisiana in 1805 4
Jeremiah Biggs was a plaintiff before the Supreme Court in 1810
Alexander Biggs, aged 26, who landed in New York in 1812 4
Henry Seymom Biggs, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1820 4
Peter Biggs, who landed in New York in 1842 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Biggs migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Biggs Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Joseph Biggs was a fisherman in Adam's Cove, Newfoundland in 1829 5
Frances Biggs, who settled in Pouch Cove, Newfoundland in 1850 5
James Biggs was a fisherman of Bareneed, Newfoundland in 1871 5
John Biggs was a cooper of Carbonear in 1871

Biggs migration to Australia +

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

Biggs Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Biggs, British Convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Batavia" in October 1817, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Miss Catherine Biggs who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Brothers" on 20th November 1823, arriving in New South Wales, Australia and Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. Isaac Biggs, English convict who was convicted in Essex, England for life, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
Abraham Biggs, a carpenter, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
Mr. Charles Biggs, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for life for larceny, transported aboard the "Claudine" on 19th August 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Biggs 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:

Biggs Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Frances Biggs, aged 19, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
Isaac Biggs, aged 1, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
Frances Biggs, aged 4 mths., who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
Hannah Biggs, aged 29, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
Alfred Biggs, aged 4, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Lloyds" in 1842
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Biggs (post 1700) +

Electra Waggoner Biggs (1912-2001), American socialite and sculptor from Texas
Marion Biggs (1823-1910), American Democratic Party politician, Member of California State Assembly, 1867-71 (16th District 1867-69, 24th District 1869-71); U.S. Representative from California 2nd District, 1887-91
Lee Biggs, American politician, Mayor of Searcy, Arkansas, 1956
M. R. K. Biggs, American politician, Member of Missouri State Senate 11th District, 1901-04
John E. Biggs, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1948 10
John David Biggs (b. 1888), American Republican politician, Bond County State's Attorney, 1912-16; County Judge in Illinois, 1922-41; Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1944, 1948 10
James Crawford Biggs (1872-1960), American Democratic Party politician, Law professor; Mayor of Oxford, North Carolina, 1897-98; Member of North Carolina State House of Representatives, 1905; Superior Court Judge in North Carolina, 1907-11;
John Biggs Jr. (1895-1979), American Democratic Party politician, Served in the U.S. Army during World War I; Lawyer; Delaware Democratic State Chair, 1930-36; Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Delaware, 1932, 1936;
Hiram S. Biggs, American Republican politician, Mayor of Warsaw, Indiana, 1875-78 10
George K. Biggs, American politician, Member of Missouri State Senate 12th District, 1875-78
... (Another 25 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Biggs family +

HMAS Sydney II

Mr. Alexander Baillie Biggs (1905-1941), Australian Warrant Engineer from Armadale, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 11

HMS Repulse

Mr. Harry Biggs, British Boy, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 12

RMS Titanic

Mr. Edward Charles Biggs (d. 1912), aged 21, English Fireman/Stoker from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 13

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/batavia
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/brothers
Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 26th January 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/chapman
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 18th February 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/claudine
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, March 17) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html