Show ContentsBriggs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Briggs Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Briggs

What does the name Briggs mean?

The English surname Briggs derives from the Old Norse word "bryggja." It is the Northern English form of the word bridge. 1 2 Brig(g) is "the northern [England] and Scottish word for bridge." 3

Early Origins of the Briggs family

The surname Briggs was first found in the Rotuli de Oblatis et Finibus, King John where the personal name Brig and de Brug occur. 4

Later in Yorkshire, Robert del Brig was listed there at Wakefield in 1275. 3 Later in Cumberland, Alexander del Brigg was registered in the Subsidy Rolls of 1332. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Hugh ate Brugge and Roger ate Brugge in Oxfordshire while the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Juliana del Bryg, Robertus atte Brig and Ricardus atte Brygg. 5

Between the 11th and 15th century there were numerous recordings of various members of the family name as they flourished in the north and into Scotland. "Duncanus Brigis appears in Murthlac, Banffshire, 1550 and Catherine Brigs was married in Edinburgh, 1611." 6

Early History of the Briggs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Briggs research. Another 147 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1382, 1504, 1560, 1561, 1628, 1630, 1633, 1642, 1668, 1670, 1676, 1677, 1682, 1684, 1704 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Briggs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Briggs Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Brigg, Briggs, Brigge and others.

Early Notables of the Briggs family

  • Henry Briggs (c. 1561-1630), an English mathematician, who developed long division and popularized common logarithms, eponym of the Briggs lunar crater and Briggsian logarithms. He "was born at Warley...
  • William Briggs (1642-1704), was an English physician and oculist, born at Norwich, for which city his father, Augustine Briggs, was four times M.P. At thirteen he was entered at Corpus Christi, Cambri...

Briggs World Ranking

the United States, the name Briggs is the 438th most popular surname with an estimated 64,662 people with that name. 7 However, in Australia, the name Briggs is ranked the 346th most popular surname with an estimated 10,459 people with that name. 8 And in New Zealand, the name Briggs is the 621st popular surname with an estimated 1,151 people with that name. 9 The United Kingdom ranks Briggs as 315th with 19,395 people. 10

Migration of the Briggs family to Ireland

Some of the Briggs family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Briggs migration to the United States +



Briggs Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Clement Briggs, from Surrey, who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 aboard the ship "Fortune" 12
  • Seth Briggs, who settled in Virginia in 1635
  • Jo Briggs, aged 20, who arrived Massachuetts Bay in 1635 aboard the ship "Blessing" 12
  • John Briggs, who landed in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1637 12
  • William Briggs, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Briggs Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Hen Briggs, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 12
  • Robert Briggs, who landed in North Carolina in 1768 12
Briggs Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Maria Briggs, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 12
  • Abraham Briggs, who arrived in America in 1819 12
  • J M Briggs, who landed in San Francisco California in 1850 12
  • S Briggs, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 12
  • Mr. Briggs, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Briggs migration to Canada +

Briggs Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Samuel Briggs, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1760
  • Thomas Briggs, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1774
  • Mr. Abiel Briggs U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1783 13
  • Mr. John Briggs U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1783 13

Briggs migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
  • Mr. Benjamin Briggs, (1759 - 1843), aged 31, British settler convicted in Southampton, Hampshire, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Mary Ann" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 11
Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Briggs Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Briggs 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:

Briggs Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • George Briggs, aged 23, a carpenter, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Catherine Stewart Forbes" in 1841
  • Emma Briggs, aged 23, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Catherine Stewart Forbes" in 1841
  • Martha Briggs, aged 38, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
  • G Briggs, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842
  • Mr. Briggs, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "John Phillips" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand in April 1852 19
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Briggs migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 20
Briggs Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Mr. James Briggs, aged 25 who arrived in St. Kitts (St Christopher) aboard the ship "Amity" in 1635 12
  • Thomas Briggs, who settled in Barbados in 1660

Contemporary Notables of the name Briggs (post 1700) +

  • David Paul Briggs (1943-2025), American keyboardist, record producer, arranger, composer, and studio owner, inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015
  • Rita "Maude" Briggs (1929-1994), American female baseball catcher who played from 1947-1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
  • Wilma Briggs (1930-2023), American All-American Girls Professional Baseball League left fielder who played from 1948 through 1954
  • Stephen Foster Briggs (1885-1976), American engineer, co-founder of the Briggs & Stratton and founder of Outboard Marine Corporation (OMC)
  • Donald Briggs (1911-1986), American actor, who appeared in over 75 films and television shows between the 1930s and 1970s
  • Mary Blatchley Briggs (1846-1910), American writer and women's organizer who served for eleven years as assistant secretary, superintendent, and reporter for the press, and manager of county, state and inter-state fairs
  • James Frankland Briggs (1827-1905), American politician, U.S. Representative from New Hampshire (1877-1883)
  • Frank Parks Briggs (1894-1992), American politician, United States Senator from Missouri (1945-1947)
  • Frank Obadiah Briggs (1851-1913), American politician, United States Senator from New Jersey (1907-1913)
  • ... (Another 37 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. Thomas  Briggs, Canadian resident from Portage, New Brunswick, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 21

The Briggs 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: Fortiter et Fideliter
Motto Translation: Boldly and faithfully.

Suggested Readings for the name Briggs +

  • A Harkrader-Hathaway (including the Briggs Family) history by Charles Briggs Hathaway.
  • John Briggs of Sandwich, Massachusetts and His Descendants by Edna Anne Hannibal.
  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  7. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  8. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  9. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  10. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  11. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  12. 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)
  13. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel
  16. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1824 with 9 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1824
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/england
  18. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/dunvegan-castle
  19. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  20. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  21. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance

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