NameCensus.

UK surname

Biggin

A surname derived from the Old English 'bygging,' referring to a type of building or house.

In the 1881 census there were 754 people recorded with the Biggin surname, ranking it #4,895 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 938, ranked #6,108, down from #4,895 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Castle Cary, Edinburgh and Chesterfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bolsover, North East Derbyshire and Sheffield.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Biggin is 1,023 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 24.4%.

1881 census count

754

Ranked #4,895

Modern count

938

2016, ranked #6,108

Peak year

1999

1,023 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Biggin had 754 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,895 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 938 in 2016, ranked #6,108.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 894 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Biggin surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Biggin surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Biggin 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 486 #5,133
1861 historical 437 #5,898
1881 historical 754 #4,895
1891 historical 774 #5,182
1901 historical 852 #5,352
1911 historical 894 #4,981
1997 modern 991 #5,547
1998 modern 1,011 #5,630
1999 modern 1,023 #5,611
2000 modern 1,006 #5,663
2001 modern 963 #5,762
2002 modern 954 #5,904
2003 modern 946 #5,854
2004 modern 945 #5,863
2005 modern 932 #5,866
2006 modern 931 #5,881
2007 modern 927 #5,951
2008 modern 913 #6,070
2009 modern 898 #6,281
2010 modern 931 #6,216
2011 modern 927 #6,184
2012 modern 917 #6,157
2013 modern 943 #6,117
2014 modern 942 #6,165
2015 modern 933 #6,160
2016 modern 938 #6,108

Geography

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Where Biggins are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Castle Cary, Edinburgh, Chesterfield, Sheffield and Norton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bolsover, North East Derbyshire and Sheffield. 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 Castle Cary Somerset
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Chesterfield Derbyshire
4 Sheffield Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Norton Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bolsover 002 Bolsover
2 North East Derbyshire 005 North East Derbyshire
3 Sheffield 009 Sheffield
4 Sheffield 068 Sheffield
5 Sheffield 011 Sheffield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Biggin

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Biggin

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Biggin, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Biggin surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Biggin household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Biggin is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Biggin is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Biggin falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Biggin is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Biggin

The surname BIGGIN is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "bycgan" meaning "to build" or "to dwell." It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century.

The name BIGGIN was initially used to refer to individuals who lived in or were associated with small dwellings or cottages, particularly those located near a larger manor or estate. These dwellings were often referred to as "biggins" in various parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BIGGIN can be found in the Feet of Fines for Essex, dated 1285, which mentions a Roger Biggin. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also list a John Biggin among the taxpayers.

In the 14th century, the BIGGIN surname appeared in several historical records, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a Richard Biggin was mentioned in 1316. The Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1279 also contain references to individuals with the surname BIGGIN.

Notable individuals with the surname BIGGIN throughout history include:

1. John Biggin (c. 1590-1658), an English clergyman and writer who served as a rector in Warwickshire. 2. Robert Biggin (c. 1600-1673), an English merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. 3. Thomas Biggin (1768-1851), a British clockmaker and inventor from Worcestershire, known for his work on chronometers and watches. 4. Eliza Biggin (1836-1910), a British philanthropist and social reformer from Derbyshire, who advocated for women's rights and education. 5. William Biggin (1857-1931), a British architect and surveyor from Buckinghamshire, known for his work on several notable buildings in London.

The BIGGIN surname was also associated with various place names in England, such as Biggin Hill in Kent, Biggin Farm in Warwickshire, and Biggin Grange in Derbyshire. These place names likely derived from the presence of small dwellings or settlements known as "biggins" in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Biggin families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Biggin 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. Yorkshire leads with 326 Biggins recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.46x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 326 4.46x
Derbyshire 211 18.28x
Somerset 90 7.58x
Middlesex 15 0.20x
Surrey 15 0.42x
Hampshire 11 0.73x
Dorset 9 1.86x
Lancashire 9 0.10x
Midlothian 9 0.91x
Bedfordshire 8 2.10x
Staffordshire 8 0.32x
Cumberland 6 0.95x
Gloucestershire 6 0.41x
Kent 5 0.20x
Channel Islands 4 1.83x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.40x
Warwickshire 4 0.22x
Glamorgan 3 0.23x
Hertfordshire 2 0.39x
Lanarkshire 2 0.08x
Northamptonshire 2 0.29x
Wiltshire 2 0.31x
Angus 1 0.15x
Durham 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.68x
Sussex 1 0.08x
Worcestershire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ecclesall Bierlow in Yorkshire leads with 89 Biggins recorded in 1881 and an index of 59.88x.

Place Total Index
Ecclesall Bierlow 89 59.88x
Norton 87 914.83x
Sheffield 82 35.24x
Dronfield 42 283.78x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 31 45.53x
Brightside Bierlow 31 21.63x
Chesterfield 25 57.76x
Heeley 23 103.56x
Pylle 20 2985.07x
Brampton 16 99.13x
Castle Cary 15 290.14x
Nether Hallam 13 13.15x
Bradford 11 6.22x
Bradfield 9 31.95x
Ditcheat 9 441.18x
Alverstoke 8 14.62x
Coal Aston 8 402.01x
Eckington 8 28.52x
Silton 8 1269.84x
Stoke Upon Trent 8 3.03x
Handsworth 7 36.23x
Pilsley 7 183.73x
Selby 7 45.84x
Westminster St Margaret 7 19.68x
Dore 6 271.49x
Rotherham 6 14.56x
St Pancras London 6 1.01x
Wincanton 6 98.20x
Bermondsey 5 2.28x
Chorlton On Medlock 5 3.60x
Dacre 5 204.08x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 5 1.26x
Glastonbury 5 51.60x
Lambeth 5 0.78x
Shepton Mallet 5 37.54x
Aston 4 0.78x
Bedford St Mary 4 40.65x
Bedford St Paul 4 15.27x
Deptford St Paul 4 2.06x
Doulting 4 261.44x
Edinburgh New 4 52.15x
Grouville 4 65.68x
Huddersfield 4 3.76x
Kimberworth 4 9.86x
North Cadbury 4 176.21x
Snenton 4 10.24x
Upper Hallam 4 62.99x
Bristol St Peter 3 58.03x
Cardiff St John 3 7.15x
Dalton In Furness 3 8.88x
Evercreech 3 104.90x
Newbold Dunston 3 27.35x
South Brent 3 150.00x
Bolsover 2 34.54x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 2 1.47x
East Pennard 2 129.87x
Goathill 2 1818.18x
Highlow 2 1818.18x
Horsington 2 105.82x
Liss 2 65.15x
Mere 2 26.99x
Oundle 2 25.81x
Staveley 2 9.76x
Unstone 2 44.05x
Watford 2 5.07x
Weston Super Mare 2 6.67x
Worle 2 81.63x
Yeovil 2 8.29x
Barony 1 0.17x
Battersea 1 0.37x
Cleator 1 3.78x
Clifton 1 1.37x
Dinder 1 192.31x
Dundee 1 0.39x
Great Driffield 1 6.67x
Holdenhurst 1 2.52x
Leeds 1 0.24x
Marnhull 1 28.41x
Nonington 1 50.00x
Pilton 1 35.34x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 62
Sarah 32
Elizabeth 26
Ann 17
Alice 15
Annie 15
Hannah 11
Emma 10
Edith 9
Ellen 9
Jane 9
Eliza 8
Fanny 8
Florence 7
Clara 6
Emily 6
Maria 6
Martha 6
Anne 5
Catherine 5
Charlotte 5
Ada 4
Agnes 4
Frances 4
Harriet 4
Harriett 4
Louisa 4
Lucy 4
Anna 3
Caroline 3
Margaret 3
Matilda 3
Susan 3
Millicent 2
Rebecca 2
Ruth 2
Alicia 1
Bessie 1
Birtha 1
Eliz. 1
Elizth. 1
Elvena 1
Etty 1
Heneritta 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Kate 1
Letitia 1
Lilian 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 28
Thomas 24
George 19
Henry 19
Joseph 18
Charles 17
Samuel 17
Isaac 13
James 12
Edward 11
Alfred 10
Arthur 10
Harry 9
Herbert 9
Albert 8
Walter 8
Frederick 6
Bernard 5
Joshua 4
Thos. 4
Benjamin 3
Francis 3
Jas. 3
Luke 3
Robert 3
Wilfred 3
Abraham 2
Alexander 2
Andrew 2
Christopher 2
Edwin 2
Frank 2
Fred 2
Jno. 2
Tom 2
Wm. 2
Algernon 1
Aubrey 1
Aurthur 1
Bearnard 1
Ernest 1
Eward 1
Ezar 1
Ezra 1
F.H. 1
Herbt. 1
Herbt.E. 1
Hy. 1
Wm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Biggin surname: questions and answers

How common was the Biggin surname in 1881?

In 1881, 754 people were recorded with the Biggin surname. That placed it at #4,895 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Biggin surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 938 in 2016. That gives Biggin a modern rank of #6,108.

What does the Biggin surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old English 'bygging,' referring to a type of building or house.

What does the Biggin map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Biggin 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.