Higgins (surname)

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Higgins is a surname found in England and in Ireland, with several origins.^[1]

In England, the name originates from:

• the name Hugh
• the name Hig (both the son of Hugh and a diminutive of Hugh)
• Hicke, a diminutive of Richard

each then stemmed with the patronymic termination 'ings' meaning 'belonging to', or 'the son of'.

In Ireland, the name is the Anglicised form of the Gaelic name Ó hUiginn, 'descendant of Uiginn'. Uiginn being the Gaelic version of the Old Norse víkingr or Viking.^[2]

In business[]

• Andrew Higgins, founder of Higgins Industries and inventor of the Higgins boat
• Pattillo Higgins (1863–1955), American oil pioneer and businessman, known as the "Prophet of Spindletop"

In education and science[]

• Aparna Higgins, Indian-American mathematician
• Chris Higgins, British geneticist, Vice-Chancellor of Durham University
• E. Tory Higgins (born 1946), American psychologist
• Henry Higgins (botanist) (1814–1893), English botanist
• Julian Higgins, British statistician
• Michael W. Higgins (born 1948), Canadian academic and writer
• Reynold Higgins (1916–1993), English archaeologist
• William Higgins, Irish chemist
• William Victor Higgins, American painter and teacher

In literature[]

• Aidan Higgins, (born 1927), Irish writer
• Beda Higgins, British poet and writer
• Fiona Higgins, Irish writer
• George V. Higgins (1939–1999), American attorney and author
• Jack Higgins (born 1929), pseudonym of British novelist Harry Patterson
• Maol Sheachluinn na n-Uirsgéal Ó hUiginn (fl. c. 1400), Irish poet
• Marguerite Higgins (1920–1966), American journalist and war correspondent
• Michael D. Higgins, (born 1941), Irish poet
• Rita Ann Higgins (born 1955), Irish poet and playwright
• Sean mac Fergail Óicc Ó hUiccinn (died 1490), Irish poet
• Tadg Óg Ó hUiginn (died 1448), Irish poet
• Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn (c. 1550-c.1591), Irish poet
• Tadhg Mór Ó hUiginn, Irish poet
• Tom O'Higgins (1917–2003), Irish politician

In military service[]

• Jack Higgins (RAF officer) (1875–1948), Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force commander
• Thomas J. Higgins (1831–1917), American soldier
• William R. Higgins (1945–1990), United States Marine Corps colonel, killed in Lebanon

In music[]

• Bertie Higgins (born 1944), American singer-songwriter
• Billy Higgins (1936–2001), American jazz drummer
• Chris Higgins, also known as "X-13", former The Offspring touring member
• Damian Higgins, drum and bass DJ and producer
• Dick Higgins (1938–1998), American composer, poet and Fluxus artist
• Eddie Higgins (1932–2009), American jazz pianist, composer and orchestrator
• Jarad Higgins (1998–2019), American rapper known professionally as Juice WRLD
• Jon B. Higgins, Carnatic singer (1939–1984)
• Missy Higgins, Australian singer
• The Higgins, Canadian band

In politics[]

• Brian Higgins, U.S. Representative from New York
• Clay Higgins, U.S. Representative from Louisiana
• Clement Higgins (1844–1916), British MP from Norfolk
• Frank W. Higgins, Governor of New York
• H. B. Higgins, Australian politician and judge
• Jim Higgins (British politician), British socialist
• Joe Higgins, Socialist Party MEP for Dublin; ex-TD
• John Patrick Higgins, former U.S. Representative from Massachusetts
• Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland
• Peg Higgins (born c. 1949), member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
• Pete B. Higgins (born 1957), member of the Alaska House of Representatives
• William L. Higgins (1867–1951), U.S. Representative from Connecticut

In sports[]

• Alex Higgins (1949–2010, nicknamed "Hurricane Higgins"), Northern Irish snooker player
• Andrew Higgins, English rugby union footballer
• Arthur Higgins (rugby league), rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s
• Chris Higgins, American hockey player
• David Higgins, Irish golfer
• Dylan Higgins, Zimbabwean cricketer
• Emma Higgins (born 1986), Northern Irish association footballer
• Garin Higgins, American football coach
• Harry Higgins (1894–1979), English cricketer
• Henry Higgins (bullfighter) (1944–1978), English bullfighter
• Jack Higgins (rugby league), rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s
• Jim Higgins (1897–1964), Scottish boxer of the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s
• John Higgins, Scottish snooker player
• Johnnie Lee Higgins, free agent wide receiver in the NFL
• Luke Higgins (1921–1991), American football player
• Mark Higgins, British rally car driver
• Pinky Higgins (1909–1969), American baseball player, manager, and scout
• Rashard Higgins (born 1994), American football wide receiver
• Roy Higgins (1938–2014), Australian jockey
• Shaun Higgins, Australian rules footballer
• Tee Higgins (born 1999), American football wide receiver

In television and film[]

• Clare Higgins (born 1955), English actress
• Kate Higgins (born 1969), American voice actress, singer, and jazz pianist
• Kenneth Higgins (1919–2008), British cinematographer
• Naomi Higgins, Australian writer and comedian
• Paul Higgins (born 1964), British actor
• Steve Higgins (born 1963), American comedian, writer and announcer
• William Higgins (1942–2019), American director of gay pornographic films

Other professions[]

• Arch Higgins, New York City Ballet soloist
• Bertha G. Higgins (1872–1944), American suffragist, civil rights activist and clubwoman
• Chester Higgins, Jr., American photographer
• Edward Higgins (1864–1947), British Salvationist, 3rd General of the Salvation Army
• Eoin Higgins, High Court of Northern Ireland jurist
• Godfrey Higgins (1772–1833), English writer on mythology
• Dame Joan Higgins, British academic and health service manager
• Margaret Higgins, Scottish murderer
• Mark Andrew Higgins, American photographer
• Rosalyn Higgins (born 1937), British lawyer and legal scholar, President of the International Court of Justice

Fictional characters[]

• Bubba Higgins, on the American TV sitcom Mama's Family, played by Allan Kayser
• Jonathan Quayle Higgins III, on the American TV series Magnum, P.I., played by John Hillerman

See also[]

• O'Higgins
• Higginson
• Huggins

References[]

Surname list

This page lists people with the surname Higgins.
If an intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.