Find out how popular the last name Biggers is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Biggers.

Biggers, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Biggers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Biggers in America

Biggers is the 6993rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Biggers surname appeared 4,792 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Biggers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Biggers to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Biggers

The surname Biggers has its origins in the northern English county of Yorkshire, dating back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English words "big" and "ers," which together mean "dweller at the big house." This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived in a particularly large or prominent dwelling.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a William Biggers is mentioned as a landowner. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, further indicating its long-standing presence in the region.

Some historians believe that the name may have originated as a descriptive nickname for someone of large stature or physical size, as the word "big" can also refer to physical characteristics. However, the more widely accepted theory is that it was initially a locational surname, referring to the place of residence.

In the 14th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Byggers," can be found in the records of the village of Ripley in Yorkshire. This lends credence to the theory of the name's locational origins, as it may have been associated with a specific place or landmark.

One notable figure who bore the Biggers surname was Sir Ralph Biggers, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Yorkshire during the 15th century. He is mentioned in several historical documents from the reign of King Henry VI, including land grants and military records.

Another individual of note was John Biggers, a scholar and clergyman who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was educated at Cambridge University and served as the rector of the parish of Brinworth in Derbyshire.

In the 18th century, the Biggers name can be found in the records of the town of Halifax, Yorkshire, where a family of that name owned a successful wool-trading business. One member of this family, James Biggers (1732-1802), served as the mayor of Halifax in 1786.

The 19th century saw the Biggers name spread beyond Yorkshire, with individuals bearing the surname appearing in various parts of England and even venturing to other parts of the British Empire. One notable example is William Biggers (1818-1892), a British explorer and surveyor who mapped parts of Australia and New Zealand.

Finally, in the early 20th century, the artist and educator John Biggers (1924-2001) achieved renown for his vibrant paintings and murals depicting African American life and culture. Born in North Carolina, he spent much of his career teaching at several prestigious universities, including Hampton University and Texas Southern University.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Biggers

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Biggers.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Biggers was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Biggers has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Biggers was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Biggers, please contact us.

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