Show ContentsWrigg History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Wrigg name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in Cumberland and Lancashire. This local name was derived from the local at the ridge or near a ridge. There are a variety of types of local surnames, some of which include: topographic surnames, which could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. The surname Wrigg comes from the Old English word rigge, or the Old English word hrycg, both of which mean ridge. [1] [2]

Early Origins of the Wrigg family

The surname Wrigg was first found in Shropshire where William de Rigge was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1197-1198. Later and further to the north, John del Rigg was recorded in the Subsidy Rolls for 1332 in Cumberland. [3]

Early History of the Wrigg family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wrigg research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1410, 1567, 1591, 1601, 1602, 1612, 1613, 1635 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Wrigg History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wrigg Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Wrigg has undergone many spelling variations, including Rigge, Rigg, Riggs and others.

Early Notables of the Wrigg family

Distinguished members of the family include Robert Rigge, Rygge or Rugge (died 1410), English Chancellor of the University of Oxford, a native of Devonshire, and possibly a relative of Thomas de Bitton, bishop of Exeter. [4]Ambrose Rigg or Rigge (1635-1705), was an English Quaker, born at Brampton in Westmorland. He and his companion Thomas Robertson went to Rochester...
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wrigg Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Wrigg family to Ireland

Some of the Wrigg family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Wrigg migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Wrigg were among those contributors:

Wrigg Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Max Wrigg, aged 60, who immigrated to America, in 1897
  • Max Wrigg, aged 60, who arrived in New York in 1897 aboard the ship "Normannia" from Hamburg, Germany [5]
Wrigg Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Caroline Wrigg, aged 19, originally from Berend, who arrived in New York in 1902 aboard the ship "Graf Waldersee" from Hamburg, Germany [5]
  • John Wrigg, aged 42, arrived in New York in 1910 aboard the ship "Amerika" from Hamburg, Germany [5]
  • Thomas Wrigg, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1918
  • Albert Wrigg, aged 16, who landed in America, in 1918


The Wrigg 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: Dum vivo cano
Motto Translation: While alive celebrate.


  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  3. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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