The name Digges is of
Anglo-Saxon origin and came from the baptismal name
Dod, the short form of
Roger. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.
Early Origins of the Digges family
The surname Digges was first found in
Lancashire where they held a
family seat from very early times.
Early History of the Digges family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Digges research.
Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1196, 1214, 1515, 1559, 1546, 1595, 1583, 1639, 1610, 1629, 1651, 1697, 1620, 1674, 1650, 1655, 1656 and are included under the topic Early Digges History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Digges Spelling Variations
Before English spelling was standardized a few
hundred years ago,
spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Digges include Dodge, Doidge, Doge, Doige, Doddge, Doges, Dodges, Doidges and many more.
Early Notables of the Digges family (pre 1700)
Notables of the family at this time include Leonard Digges (c.1515-c.1559), English mathematician and surveyor, credited with the invention of the theodolite; Sir Thomas Digges (1546-1595), an English mathematician and astronomer; Sir Dudley Digges (c.1583-1639), an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1610 and 1629...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Digges Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Digges family to Ireland
Some of the Digges family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 87 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Digges family to the New World and Oceana
A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck
England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in
England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:
Digges Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Edward Digges, who landed in Virginia in 1650 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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) - William Digges, who landed in Maryland in 1680 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Contemporary Notables of the name Digges (post 1700)
- Deborah Digges (1950-2009), born Deborah Leah Sugarbaker, an American poet and teacher, awarded the Ingram-Merrill Award (1985), National Endowment for the Arts grant (1987), Delmore Schwartz Memorial Award (1987), Guggenheim Fellowship, (1988) and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award (1996)
- Alyssa Digges, American actress, known for Dead by Dawn 2: The Mask of Conrad (2004)
- Mae Digges, American actress, known for her role in San Francisco (1936)
- J. M. Digges, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in San Juan de los Remedios, 1874 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Edward S. Digges, American Democrat politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maryland, 1948 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - West Digges (1720-1786), English actor
- Dudley Digges (1879-1947), Irish stage and film actor, known for his roles in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), The Invisible Man (1933), The Emperor Jones (1933) and The Maltese Falcon (1931)