Higgins (surname)

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

Origins in England

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

all then stemmed with the patronymic termination ings; meaning belonging to, or the son of.

Origin in Ireland, the name is an anglicised version of the Gaelic family Ó hUiginn, who were high status poets between the 14th and 17th centuries. Descendants of this family include Bernardo O'Higgins, the first Head of State of Chile, and Kevin O'Higgins who was Minister for Justice in the first Irish Free State government.

In politics

• Brian Higgins, U.S. Representative (D-NY)
• Frank W. Higgins, Governor of New York
• H. B. Higgins, Australian politician and judge
• Joe Higgins, Socialist Party MEP for Dublin; ex-TD
• John Patrick Higgins, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts
• Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland
• Pete Higgins (born 1957), member of the Alaska House of Representatives
• William L. Higgins (1867–1951), U.S. Representative from Connecticut

In science

• E. Tory Higgins, US-American psychologist
• Reynold Higgins, English Archeologist

In sports

• Alex Higgins (1949–2010, nicknamed "Hurricane Higgins"), Northern Irish snooker player
• Christopher Higgins, American hockey player
• David Higgins, Irish golfer
• Garin Higgins, American football coach
• Jim Higgins (1897-1964), Scottish boxer of the 1910s, '20s and '30s
• 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, baseball player, manager, and scout
• Rashard Higgins, American football player
• Roy Higgins, Australian jockey
• Shaun Higgins, Australian rules footballer
• Andrew Higgins, English Rugby Union player

In music

• Billy Higgins (1936–2001), jazz drummer
• Chris Higgins (musician), also known as "X-13", former The Offspring touring member
• Damian Higgins, drum and bass DJ/Producer
• Dick Higgins (born 1938), composer, poet and Fluxus artist
• Jon B. Higgins, Carnatic singer (1939–1984)
• Missy Higgins, Australian singer
• The Higgins, Canadian band
• Eddie Higgins, (1932–2009), jazz pianist

In education

• Chris Higgins (academic), Vice-Chancellor of Durham University
• William Victor Higgins, American painter and teacher
• William Higgins (chemist), Irish chemist

Patrick Higgins (academic), Dean of Brophy College Preparatory

In literature

• Aidan Higgins, born 1927, Irish writer
• Fiona Higgins, Irish writer
• George V. Higgins (1939–1999), attorney and author
• Jack Higgins (born 1929), principal pseudonym of UK novelist Harry Patterson
• Maol Sheachluinn na n-Uirsgéal Ó hUiginn fl. c. 1400
• Marguerite Higgins (1920–1966), war correspondent
• Michael D. Higgins, born 1941), poet, Mayor of Galway, TD and Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht from 1993–97
• Rita Ann Higgins, poet and playwright, born 1955
• Sean mac Fergail Óicc Ó hUiccinn, died 1490
• Tadg Óg Ó hÚigínn died 1448
• Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn, c. 1550-c.1591, murdered for his satires
• Tadhg Mór Ó hUiginn
• Tom O'Higgins, 1917–2003, TD and former Chief Justice, Presidential candidate in 1966 and 1973

In television and film

• Bubba Higgins, character on the television situation comedy Mama's Family, played by actor Allan Kayser
• Jonathan Quayle Higgins III, television character on Magnum, P.I., played by actor John Hillerman
• Clare Higgins, English actress
• Kate Higgins, voice actress (known for her roles as Sakura Haruno in Naruto, C.C. in Code Geass and Saber in Fate/Stay Night)
• Kenneth Higgins (1919-2008), British cinematographer
• Paul Higgins, British actor
• Steve Higgins, comedian, writer and announcer

In business

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

In military service

• John Frederick Andrews Higgins, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force commander
• Thomas J. Higgins (1831–1917), American soldier
• William R. Higgins, United States Marine Corps colonel, killed in Lebanon

Other

• Arch Higgins, New York City Ballet soloist
• Chester Higgins, Jr., American photographer
• Edward Higgins (1864–1947), the 3rd General of the Salvation Army
• Sir Eoin Higgins, High Court of Northern Ireland jurist
• Dame Joan Higgins, chair of the NHS Litigation Authority
• Margaret Higgins, Scottish murderer
• Peter Higgins (disambiguation)
• Rosalyn Higgins (1937–present), President of the International Court of Justice
• Mark Andrew Higgins, Contemporary American Lifestyle Photographer

See also

• O'Higgins
• Higginson
• Huggins

References

1. Source: An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names With an Essay on their Derivation and Import; Arthur, William, M.A.; New York, NY: Sheldon, Blake, Bleeker & CO., 1857.