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Riggs Family History

Riggs Surname Meaning

English (Dorset):: variant of Ricks with voicing of /ks/ to /gs/. variant of Rigg with post-medieval excrescent -s.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Riggs family from?

You can see how Riggs families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Riggs family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Riggs families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 351 Riggs families living in Dorset. This was about 29% of all the recorded Riggs's in United Kingdom. Dorset had the highest population of Riggs families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Riggs surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Riggs ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Riggs. 10% of Riggs men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Riggs women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Riggs were Builders Labourer and Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Riggs | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Cowman
    8%
  • Farm Carter
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Domestic Servant
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Domestic Duties
    3%

What Riggs family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 161,000 census records available for the last name Riggs. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Riggs census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Riggs

Passenger Lists

There are 12,000 immigration records available for the last name Riggs. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Riggs immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 35,000 military records available for the last name Riggs. For the veterans among your Riggs ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Riggs military records

You've only scratched the surface of Riggs family history

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What is the average Riggs lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Riggs life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Riggs in 1940 was 56, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Riggs

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Riggs ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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