TWIGG
The surname Twigg is of English origin and derives from the Old English word twig, meaning a small branch or shoot of a tree. It is recorded as both a topographic surname, given to a person who dwelt near a prominent twig or branch, and as a nickname for someone whose build was particularly slender.
This etymology is supported by the pre‑7th‑century term twigge, which appears in the early Old English lexicon and was used to describe a narrow, fragile person. The word was initially confined to northern regions of England, an area in which the name remains most common even today.
There are several orthographic variations of the name. These include Twigg, Twiggs, Twygg, Twigge, Twytge, Twichell, Twichill, Twitchel, Twitchell, Twitchelle, and the simplified form Twig. All of these spellings are tied to the same root and are used interchangeably in historical records.
The earliest documented instance of the surname appears in the Assize Court Rolls of Cheshire for the year 1296, where a man named John Twyg is recorded. Further evidence comes from the 1292 Lancashire Subsidy Rolls for Roger of Twigg, and the 12th‑century Durham Assize Court Rolls that mention Nicholas de Twigge. In the 16th century, church registers provide additional proof of the name: the christening of John Twygge at St. Margaret's, Westminster, on 23 October 1543, and the marriage of Nicholas Twigg to Alice Burton at Sheffield Cathedral on 28 November 1569.
Demographically, the surname is most concentrated in the counties of Lancashire, Manchester, Yorkshire and West Yorkshire. According to the 2021 national census, fewer than 17 000 individuals in the United Kingdom bear the name Twigg. In Scotland the name is found mainly in Aberdeenshire and on a smaller scale in Edinburgh, while in Wales the greatest frequencies are in Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire. Small numbers of people with the surname are also recorded in Australia, Canada and the United States, mainly as descendants of British emigrants.
In the 17th and 18th centuries the Twigg name is sometimes associated with weaving and wool‑dying in Lancashire and Cheshire, reflecting the common practice of using surnames that signified an occupation or craft.
The heraldic description associated with the Twigg family, as recorded in Burke's General Armory, is Azure, three bends Or, a chief Argent, a design that has been preserved in family crests.
In summary, the surname Twigg retains a distinctly English character, rooted in an ancient description of physical appearance or locality, with a clear record of medieval usage and a present-day distribution that underscores its regional heritage across northern England and parts of the wider British Isles.
Typical given names associated with the Twigg surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Simon
- Stephen
Female
- Amy
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Helen
- Jane
- Janet
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- 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 Twigg in...
Braille
⠞⠺⠊⠛⠛
Morse
-.--..--.--.
Semaphore
There are approximately 4,099 people named Twigg in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,271st most common surname in Britain. Around 63 in a million people in Britain are named Twigg.
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 Twigg
- Stephen Twigg - Politician
- Derek Twigg - Politician
- Gary Twigg - Scottish football player
- Georgie Twigg - Hockey player
- Walter Twigg - Cricketer and field hockey player (1883 to 1963)
- Simon Twigg - Cricketer
- Ena Twigg - Psychic (1914 to 1984)
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.