Bigan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Bigan

What does the name Bigan mean?

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Bigan surname lived in Bikome, a town in the county of Somerset.

Early Origins of the Bigan family

The surname Bigan was first found in Somerset where Kirby's Quest listed the first two entries for the name: Walter de Bikome, Somerset, 1 Edward III and Godfrey de Bycorobe, Somerset, 1 Edward III. 1 In both cases, these poeple lived "1 Edward III," or in other words "during the first year of King Edward III's reign."

Early History of the Bigan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bigan research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1743, 1747, 1758 and 1769 are included under the topic Early Bigan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bigan Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bigan are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Bigan include: Bickham, Bickam, Bigham, Biggam, Bigholme, Bighone, Begholm, Beghome, Biggem and many more.

Early Notables of the Bigan family

George Bickham the Elder (d. 1769), writing-master and engraver, born about the end of the seventeenth century. "He was the most celebrated penman of his time, and published in 1743 a folio volume entitled 'The Universal Penman . . . exemplified in all the useful and ornamental branches of modern Penmanship." 2 His...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bigan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bigan migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Bigan or a variant listed above:

Bigan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Moses Bigan, who arrived in America in 1805 3
Mores Bigan, aged 28, who landed in New Castle in 1805 3

Sources +

Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)