Bignall last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Bignall

An English locational surname denoting someone from a place with big halls or mansions.

Bignall, 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 Bignall surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bignall in America

Bignall is the 69170th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bignall surname appeared 284 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Bignall.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bignall 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank6917070473-1.87%
Count2842599.21%
Proportion per 100k0.100.100.00%

The history of the last name Bignall

The surname Bignall is of English origin, derived from a place name located in Staffordshire. The name is believed to have originated in the late 11th or early 12th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name Bignall is thought to be derived from the Old English words "bycna" meaning "a sign or beacon" and "halh" meaning "a nook or remote valley." This suggests that the original place name referred to a secluded valley or settlement where a beacon or signal fire was lit.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the place name Bignall can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Bagenhalh." This entry provides evidence of the name's existence and its association with a specific location in Staffordshire.

In the 13th century, records show variations of the name such as "Buggenhulle" and "Buggenhull," which eventually evolved into the modern spelling of "Bignall." These variations likely reflect the changes in pronunciation and spelling conventions over time.

One notable bearer of the Bignall surname was Sir Samuel Bignall (1619-1698), an English politician and lawyer who served as a Member of Parliament for Southwark and was appointed as a judge in the Court of King's Bench.

Another individual of historical significance was John Bignall (c. 1578-1654), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield from 1641 until his death in 1654.

The name Bignall also has connections to place names in other parts of England. For example, there is a village called Bignall End in Staffordshire, which likely derived its name from the original Bignall settlement.

In the late 16th century, a prominent figure named Thomas Bignall (c. 1560-1623) was an English playwright and poet who contributed to several plays and literary works during the Elizabethan era.

Another notable bearer of the Bignall surname was William Bignall (1763-1827), an English engraver and artist who produced numerous illustrations and engravings, many of which were published in books and magazines of his time.

While the origins of the Bignall surname can be traced back to a specific location in Staffordshire, the name has since spread throughout England and other parts of the world, with various individuals leaving their mark on history through their contributions and achievements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bignall

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

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 Bignall was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only78.52%223
Non-Hispanic Black Only17.25%49
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races3.17%9
Hispanic Origin(S)%(S)

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 Bignall has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

20102000Change (%)
White78.52%86.10%-9.21%
Black17.25%10.81%45.90%
Asian and Pacific Islander(S)%(S)%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0.00%0.00%
Two or More Races3.17%2.32%30.97%
Hispanic(S)%(S)%(S)%

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 Bignall was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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