Higgins family crest

 

Colors on the Higgins family crest explained

Argent (silver) - represents sincerity and peacefulness, two well known characteristics of the Higgins family.

Sable (black) - symbolises constancy and the enduring nature of this family.

 

  Symbols on the Higgins family crest explained 

The three castles - represent safety, the Higgins home and possible the capture of a stronghold by ancient family members.

Ermine background pattern - represents purity and a willingness to die rather than soil the family name.

The griffin - represents bravery and the death-defying nature of ancient family members.

 

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Origins of the Higgins family name

 The name Higgins is thought to have originated in Ireland.

The earliest official recorded use of the name in its English spelling was in the 13th century but it existed from much earlier times in Irish.

The name is thought to have come from the Gaelic name Ó hUigín, which means "son of Uigin". Uigin was a personal name that was popular in Ireland at the time.

It also comes from the Irish word "higean", meaning "hero"

 

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Summary of the Higgins family and the Higgins family crest

• The Higgins name was first recorded in its English spelling in Ireland in ancient times when a man by the name of John Higgins was recorded as living in County Dublin in the 1200s. However, variants of the name are believed to have existed in Ireland from much earlier.

• The Higgins clan (Ó hUigín clan) was one of the four great clans of Ireland during the Middle Ages.

• The Higgins clan trace their earliest origins back to the 10th century King of Munster, Brian Boru.

• The Higgins were a powerful and wealthy clan during the medieval period.

• The Higgins clan owned large tracts of land in County Cork and County Clare.

• The Higgins were involved in many famous battles during the medieval period, including the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.

• The Higgins clan were dispossessed of their lands during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in the 1650s.

• Many Higgins family members emigrated to other parts of the world, particularly to the United States, during the 19th and 20th centuries.

• The Higgins family first came to America in the late 1700s, settling in Boston, Massachusetts.

• The family has since spread across the United States, with members living in every state.

• The Higgins name is now common in many parts of the world.