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

Diggs, 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 Diggs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Diggs in America

Diggs is the 2497th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Diggs surname appeared 14,467 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Diggs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Diggs 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 Diggs

The surname Diggs has its origins in England, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the late 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "digge," which referred to a ditch or trench, suggesting that the name may have initially been an occupational surname used to identify someone who lived near or worked with ditches.

One of the earliest known bearers of this surname was John Diggs, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, in 1275. The surname also appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1279, where it was recorded as "Dygges."

The Diggs surname has been found in various historical records throughout the centuries. In the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, a Thomas Dygges was listed, while the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379 included a John Dygges.

During the 16th century, the Diggs family was well-established in Kent, England. Sir Dudley Diggs (1583-1639) was a prominent figure during this time, serving as a Member of Parliament and holding the position of Master of the Rolls. Another notable individual from this era was Sir John Diggs (1590-1638), who was a naval officer and Member of Parliament.

In the 17th century, Edward Diggs (1670-1705) was a renowned English clergyman and fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge. He is known for his work as a translator and for his writings on various theological subjects.

Moving into the 18th century, Sir Digby Diggs (1720-1798) was a British naval officer who played a significant role in several battles during the American Revolutionary War. He was recognized for his bravery and leadership and was knighted for his services.

Another prominent figure with the Diggs surname was Anne Diggs (1790-1857), a British writer and poet who gained recognition for her works on religious and moral topics.

Throughout its history, the Diggs surname has been closely associated with various locations in England, particularly Kent and Sussex. Some variations in the spelling of the name have included Digges, Dygges, and Diggis, reflecting the regional dialects and conventions of different areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Diggs

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

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

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

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