BIGGS

Biggs is a surname of English origin, found predominantly within the British Isles and throughout English-speaking populations. It falls within the broader category of surnames derived from nicknames, a common practice in early medieval England.

The name stems from the Old English word bigga, meaning “large” or “strong.” It originally served as a descriptive nickname for an individual of considerable stature or great strength. Over time, this nickname was inherited by subsequent generations, becoming a hereditary surname.

Historical documentation records the surname under several spellings, including Bigg, Bigge, Biggs, and Bigges. The earliest known use appears in the charter register known as the Old Bynames, dated 1036, where a person named Aelric Bigga is noted. Further evidence of the surname arises in the 1177 Pipe Rolls of Suffolk, listing a Walter Bigg, and in the 1195 Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, recording a Henry Bigge. In 1327, a Henry de Bigges of Cambridgeshire appears on the rolls, which suggests that the name may have been locational at that time, possibly indicating “from Bigg.” A village named New Bigg in Lincolnshire, whose name denotes a “new building,” may also be related to the surname’s geographical associations.

The proliferation of the surname Biggs across various parts of England supports its classification as one of the oldest surviving English surnames. In many instances, the form Biggs or Bigges functions as a patronymic, signifying “son of Bigg(e).” While the precise origin—whether purely descriptive, patronymic, or locational—remains a subject of scholarly discussion, the documented evidence places the name firmly in the early medieval period and attests to its longstanding presence within English society.

Today, the surname remains common among English-language speakers, a testament to its enduring legacy since the pre-7th-century roots of the word bigga.

Typical given names associated with the Biggs surname

Male

• Andrew
• Anthony
• Christopher
• David
• John
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Richard
• Stephen

Female

• Elizabeth
• Helen
• Joan
• Julie
• Karen
• Linda
• Margaret
• Mary
• Nicola
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Biggs in...

Braille

⠃⠊⠛⠛⠎

Morse

-.....--.--....

Semaphore

Surname type: Nickname

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Biggs

• Ronnie Biggs - Thief (1929 to 2013)
• Jason Biggs - American actor
• John Biggs - Labour Party politician
• Barton Biggs - American money manager (1932 to 2012)
• Norman L. Biggs - Mathematician, algebraist
• E. Power Biggs - -born American concert organist and recording artist (1906 to 1977)
• Kenneth Biggs - Recipient of the Georg Cross (1911 to 1998)
• Rosemary Biggs - Haematologist with particular interest in haemophilia (1912 to 2001)
• Tom Biggs - Rugby union player
• Norman Biggs - Welsh international rugby union player (1870 to 1908)
• Emily Biggs - Singer
• Arthur Biggs - Football player (1915 to 1996)
• Tony Biggs - Football player

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

Your comments on the Biggs surname