BIGHAM
Bigham is a surname that originates from the British Isles, with predominant roots in Scotland. The name is classified as a locational or topographic surname, indicating a connection to a particular place or landscape.
The etymology is derived from a Gaelic word, beag, meaning “small” or “little.” It traditionally denoted a person who lived near a modest hill or another small geographical feature. One historical source further identifies the surname as originating from the ancient lands known as Bigholm in Ayrshire and Dumfriesshire. In this context, the name is composed of Old Norse or Danish elements: big from bygg meaning “barley” or a personal byname Bekki signifying “large” or “stout,” combined with holm, a small island or section of land surrounded by streams.
Historical records first document the family name in the early 15th century. In 1426, a “John de Bigholme” is recorded as a witness in the Registers of Edinburgh during the reign of King James I of Scotland (1406‑1437). In 1428, a “John Bygholme” appears as dean of the guild in Edinburgh, and in 1456 a “Thomas of Bigholme” is listed as magistrate of the same city. These attestations confirm that the surname was in use among the urban elite in Edinburgh during that period.
Spelling variations such as Biggam, Beigham, Begem, Bigholm, and Bigholme have been observed over the centuries. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the name was recorded in registers across Britain: Mary Bigham was christened in St. Dunstan’s, Stepney, London in 1723; Jean Bigham, daughter of James Bigham, was christened in Ballantrae, Ayrshire in 1803; and Margaret Biggam was born in Ochiltree, Ayrshire in 1856.
Although the surname remains relatively uncommon in contemporary Scotland, it has a broader presence in the United Kingdom, especially in northern counties such as Lancashire and Yorkshire, as well as in parts of England, from Currumbin near Norwich in the east to West Sussex in the south. Significant emigrant flows took the surname to the Americas. Many bearers settled in Pennsylvania and Ohio, and a notable concentration exists in the southeastern United States, particularly North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama.
The name’s presence in the United States can largely be traced to early settlers from the British Isles, many of whom migrated during periods of economic hardship or as a result of the Highland Clearances. Despite migrations and changes in spelling, the surname maintains its original association with a modest geographic feature in its ancestral homeland.
Typical given names associated with the Bigham surname
Male
- Alan
- Andrew
- Gareth
- James
- John
- Lucas
- Michael
- Paul
- Robert
- Steven
- Stuart
- Timothy
- William
Female
- Christine
- Dawn
- Dorothy
- Elizabeth
- Jean
- Jennifer
- Joyce
- Kerry
- Margaret
- Mary
- Sarah
- Susan
- Tracey
- Valerie
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 Bigham in...
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Morse
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There are approximately 384 people named Bigham in the UK. That makes it one of Britain's least common surnames. Only around six in a million people in Britain are named Bigham.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Bigham
- John Bigham, 1st Viscount Mersey - Lawyer, judge and politician (1840 to 1929)
- Daniel Bigham - Cyclist
- David Bigham -
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.