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

Briggs, 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 Briggs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Briggs in America

Briggs is the 572nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Briggs surname appeared 58,408 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 20 people would have the surname Briggs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Briggs 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 Briggs

The surname Briggs has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English word "brycg," meaning "bridge." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a bridge or worked as a bridge-keeper.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th century. For example, the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1273 mention a Robert de Brigg, while the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279 reference a Henry de la Brugge.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Briggs. However, it does mention several place names that may have contributed to the development of the surname, such as Brugge in Hertfordshire and Bruges in Norfolk.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Brigg, Brigge, and Brugge, reflecting regional dialects and the evolving nature of English orthography.

One notable individual bearing the surname Briggs was Henry Briggs (1561-1630), an English mathematician and professor at Oxford University. He is best known for his work on logarithms and his collaboration with John Napier, the inventor of logarithms.

Another prominent figure was Henry Briggs (1556-1630), a Yorkshire landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of King James I. He played a role in the English Reformation and was a supporter of the Puritan movement.

In the literary realm, John Briggs (1785-1859) was an English writer and painter who authored works on historical and antiquarian subjects, including "The Massa Candida" and "Illustrations of the Ancient State and Chivalry of the Principality of Wales."

The American Revolution produced a notable figure in the form of John Briggs (1766-1846), a soldier and politician from Massachusetts. He served in the Continental Army and later became a member of the United States House of Representatives.

Finally, Richard Briggs (1819-1886) was an English-born Australian politician and businessman. He played a significant role in the development of the Victorian goldfields and served as a member of the Legislative Council of Victoria.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Briggs

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

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

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

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