Higgins Coat of Arms & Family Crest
Where the Higgins name began, what it means, and where it was first recorded.
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Origin of the Higgins name
Higgins comes from Ó hUigín, "descendant of Uigín", a family of the southern Uí Néill in Westmeath that later settled in Sligo. It was famous for its bardic poets, among them Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn in the sixteenth century. Ambrose O'Higgins, from Sligo, became viceroy of Peru, and his son Bernardo O'Higgins led Chile to independence. In England Higgins is also a separate name from Higgin, a pet form of Richard.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Higgins name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Higgins name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full Higgins family history
Your full Higgins pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Higgins coat of arms for you.
Higgins name FAQ
What does the Higgins name mean?
Descendant of Uigín. Common variants include O'Higgins, Higgin, Huggins.
Where does the Higgins surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a Higgins coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Higgins crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Higgins coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).