NameCensus.

UK surname

Bigger

An English surname derived from a nickname for a large or tall person.

In the 1881 census there were 90 people recorded with the Bigger surname, ranking it #20,965 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 89, ranked #32,297, down from #20,965 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Govan Combination and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dacorum, Wyre Forest and North Somerset.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bigger is 125 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 1.1%.

1881 census count

90

Ranked #20,965

Modern count

89

2016, ranked #32,297

Peak year

1861

125 bearers

Map years

1

1861 to 1861

Key insights

  • Bigger had 90 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,965 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016, ranked #32,297.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 125 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Bigger surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bigger surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bigger surname density by area, 1861 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bigger over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 49 #24,448
1861 historical 125 #17,678
1881 historical 90 #20,965
1891 historical 50 #30,253
1901 historical 84 #24,759
1911 historical 48 #28,006
1997 modern 100 #26,901
1998 modern 92 #28,680
1999 modern 92 #28,833
2000 modern 89 #29,173
2001 modern 90 #28,793
2002 modern 86 #29,771
2003 modern 89 #29,380
2004 modern 84 #30,244
2005 modern 83 #30,486
2006 modern 83 #30,808
2007 modern 80 #31,527
2008 modern 84 #31,370
2009 modern 85 #31,717
2010 modern 86 #32,081
2011 modern 77 #32,909
2012 modern 87 #32,180
2013 modern 88 #32,349
2014 modern 87 #32,585
2015 modern 86 #32,604
2016 modern 89 #32,297

Geography

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Where Biggers are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Govan Combination, London parishes, Manchester and St Leonard Bromley. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dacorum, Wyre Forest, North Somerset, Huntingdonshire and Cheshire East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Stockport Cheshire
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 London parishes London 3
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 St Leonard Bromley London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dacorum 021 Dacorum
2 Wyre Forest 002 Wyre Forest
3 North Somerset 024 North Somerset
4 Huntingdonshire 009 Huntingdonshire
5 Cheshire East 025 Cheshire East

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bigger

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bigger surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bigger

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bigger, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Bigger surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Bigger household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bigger is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bigger is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bigger falls in decile 9 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bigger is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bigger, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bigger

The surname Bigger is believed to have originated in England and Scotland during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "bigga," which means "to build" or "to dwell." This suggests that the name likely referred to someone who was a builder, carpenter, or lived near a prominent building or structure.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bigger can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as "Biggar" in this historical document, indicating its presence in England during the Norman era.

In Scotland, the name Bigger is associated with the town of Biggar in South Lanarkshire. The town's name is thought to have originated from the Old English word "bygg," meaning "barley," as the area was known for its fertile land suitable for growing barley. It is possible that the surname Bigger arose from this place name or from individuals who migrated from the town to other parts of Scotland and England.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Bigger was John Bigger (c. 1590-1665), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the principal of the University of Glasgow. He was also a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland during the turbulent times of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

Another notable bearer of the name was Samuel Bigger (1834-1926), an Irish naturalist, archaeologist, and antiquarian. He was a co-founder of the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club and made significant contributions to the study of Irish flora and fauna.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Bigger was William Bigger (1759-1846), a Revolutionary War soldier from Pennsylvania. He served in the Continental Army and later settled in Ohio, where he became a prominent figure in the early history of the state.

Other notable individuals with the surname Bigger include Sir Edward Bigger (1858-1933), a British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross for his bravery during the Second Boer War, and Francis Joseph Bigger (1863-1926), an Irish writer and historian who published several works on Irish folklore and genealogy.

Throughout its history, the surname Bigger has been subject to various spellings, such as Biggar, Bigger, and Biggert, reflecting regional variations and transcription practices of the time. Nevertheless, the name has endured and continues to be carried by individuals around the world, reflecting its rich heritage and diverse origins.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bigger families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bigger surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 28 Biggers recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.63x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 28 2.63x
Lanarkshire 16 5.51x
Cumberland 9 11.65x
Durham 9 3.37x
Berwickshire 8 73.60x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 23.09x
Northumberland 3 2.25x
Cheshire 2 1.01x
Dumfriesshire 2 10.09x
Middlesex 2 0.22x
Midlothian 2 1.66x
Yorkshire 2 0.22x
Argyllshire 1 4.00x
Channel Islands 1 3.76x
Essex 1 0.56x
Hampshire 1 0.54x
Somerset 1 0.69x
Surrey 1 0.23x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Salford in Lancashire leads with 10 Biggers recorded in 1881 and an index of 31.93x.

Place Total Index
Salford 10 31.93x
Barony 8 10.89x
Bassenthwaite 8 5000.00x
Bishopwearmouth 8 34.90x
Lauder 8 1333.33x
West Derby 7 22.46x
Cambusnethan 3 46.51x
Govan 3 4.18x
Kirkgunzeon 3 1500.00x
Toxteth Park 3 8.32x
Brinnington 2 108.11x
Chorlton On Medlock 2 11.82x
Liverpool 2 3.09x
Middlebie 2 338.98x
Potter Newton 2 127.39x
Stow 2 322.58x
Westgate 2 24.18x
Whitechapel London 2 22.60x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 4.30x
Bedminster 1 7.37x
Camberwell 1 1.74x
Cambuslang 1 34.13x
Dunoon Kilmun 1 51.28x
Everton 1 2.95x
Irthington 1 555.56x
Leyton Low 1 27.78x
Longridge 1 3333.33x
Lyndhurst 1 200.00x
Manchester 1 2.09x
Old Monkland 1 8.68x
Oldham 1 2.91x
St Helier 1 11.55x
Winlaton 1 39.06x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bigger surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Jane 3
Mary 3
Agnes 2
Annie 2
Elizabeth 2
Isabella 2
Sarah 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Ellen 1
Emma 1
Hannah 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Jessie 1
Lizzie 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bigger surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 9
William 7
James 3
Robert 3
Adam 1
Alexr. 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
David 1
George 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Jos.S.H. 1
Joseph 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Bigger households.

FAQ

Bigger surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bigger surname in 1881?

In 1881, 90 people were recorded with the Bigger surname. That placed it at #20,965 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bigger surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 89 in 2016. That gives Bigger a modern rank of #32,297.

What does the Bigger surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for a large or tall person.

What does the Bigger map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bigger bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.