Parent’s name

Higgins surname meaning

A patronymic from Hig or Hugh; Irish Ó hUiginn is a separate descendant tradition.

Confidence: Disputed
US frequency: Rank 422 · 75,781 people
Common variants: Higgin, Higgens, O'Higgins

Confidence: Disputed. More than one origin is plausible, or sources disagree. We show the conflict rather than pick a cute answer.

The short story

Higgins has English and Irish patronymic histories. In English records it can grow from Hig or a pet form of Hugh, with the ending marking family connection. In Ireland it can represent Ó hUiginn, “descendant of Uiginn,” a byname traditionally linked with a Viking or sea-rover. Higgin, Higgens, and O’Higgins are related forms, though they do not prove one shared origin. This catalog classifies Higgins as a parent’s-name surname because both main readings are descendant or personal-name formations, with disputed confidence due to their competing histories.

Also seen as: Higgin, Higgens, O'Higgins

Sources used

Ancestry/Dictionary of American Family Names entry 'Higgins' (Irish and English patronymic streams)
Wikipedia 'Higgins (surname)' (Hig/Hugh and Ó hUiginn)
Names2020_LastNames_RaceHispanic_Top1000.xlsx (2020 Census)