Show ContentsRigsbee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the Rigsbee surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in the parish of Rigsby in the county of Lincolnshire. Rigsbee is a habitation name which forms a broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. Habitiation names were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads and indicated where a man held his land and estates.

Early Origins of the Rigsbee family

The surname Rigsbee was first found in Lincolnshire at Rigsby listed in the Domesday Book as Rigesbi and Righesbi, land held by the Archbishop of York. Herbert the archbishop's man held one plough, three villans and four boarders with two oxen. In total it comprised ninety acres of pasture and sixty acres of woodland. 1 Today the village is part of the civil parish of Rigsby with Ailby in the East Lindsey district.

Early History of the Rigsbee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rigsbee research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1570, 1594, 1600, 1620, 1650, 1659, 1671 and 1694 are included under the topic Early Rigsbee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rigsbee 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 Rigsbee include Rigbye, Rigbie, Rigby and others.

Early Notables of the Rigsbee family

Distinguished members of the family include Saint John Rigby (ca. 1570-1600), an English Roman Catholic martyr who was executed during the reign of Elizabeth I, one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.Alexander Rigby (1594-1650), was an English parliamentary colonel and Baron of the Exchequer, the eldest...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rigsbee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rigsbee family

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: Robert, Dorothy and Roger Rigby, who all settled in Virginia in 1638; John Rigby, who settled in Virginia in 1737; Joe Rigby, who settled in Georgia in 1737.



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)


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