Spriggin History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England produced the name of Spriggin. It was given to a person who because of their physical abilities was referred to as "sprack" or "spragg." This nickname surname was used to denote those individuals who were "agile", "nimble" and "quite lively." 1 2 3 In Shakespeare's comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor, he states "He is a good sprag memory," IV. i. 84. 4 Early Origins of the Spriggin familyThe surname Spriggin was first found in Suffolk where Reginald Sprag is listed in Suffolk in 1303. This is generally considered to be the first record of the family. A few years later, Richard Sprak was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1327 and Alice Sprakes was listed in Somerset in 1359. 5 Early History of the Spriggin familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Spriggin research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1618, 1620, 1632, 1645, 1655, 1664, 1673, 1677, 1684, 1695, 1720, 1725, 1919, 1944 and 1946 are included under the topic Early Spriggin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Spriggin Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Spriggin has appeared include Spragg, Spragge, Sprague, Sprake, Sprigg, Spriggs and many more. Early Notables of the Spriggin familyNotables of this surname at this time include: Rev. Harvey Spragg of Essex; Joshua Sprigg or Sprigge (1618-1684), an English Independent theologian and preacher, chaplain to Sir Thomas Fairfax; and Francis Spriggs (died 1725), a British pirate active... Migration of the Spriggin family to IrelandSome of the Spriggin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Spriggin familyAt this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Spriggin arrived in North America very early: John Spragg who settled in New England in 1765; Richard Spragg arrived in Philadelphia in 1814; Anna, Francis, Jonathon, Mercy, Ralph, Richard and William Sprague all settled in Plymouth Massachusetts in 1623.
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