Higgons History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Early Origins of the Higgons family

Early History of the Higgons family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Higgons research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1315, 1490, 1501, 1578, 1595, 1624, 1659, 1661, 1670, 1679, 1691, 1720, 1735, 1796, 1801 and 1818 are included under the topic Early Higgons History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Higgons Spelling Variations

Pronunciation, rather than spelling, guided scribes and church officials when recording names during the Middle Ages. This practice often resulted in one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Higgons are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include Higgins, Higgin, O'Higgin, Higgans, Higgens and many more.

Early Notables of the Higgons family

Prominent amongst the family at this time was

• Shean Duff O'Higgins was Lord of Ballynary, Sligo; Theophilus Higgons (c.1578-1659), was an English divine and convert to Catholicism; Sir Thomas Higgons (c 1624-1691), was an English diplomat and pol...
• Bevil Higgons (1670-1735), was an English historian and poet; and Ambrose O'Higgins (1720-1801), who left Ireland to be educated in Spain, became an administrator in Spain's colonies, becoming Vice-Ro...

Migration of the Higgons family

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Higgons family in North America: Dan Higgins, who settled in Virginia in 1654; Francis Higgins settled in Virginia in 1651; John Higgins settled in Virginia in 1659; Walter Higgins settled in Nevis in 1663.