Surname Higdon - Meaning and Origin
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Higdon: What does the surname Higdon mean?
The last name Higdon is English in origin and is believed to have originated from the Northumbrian region, and first originated from someone who lived in Hidgen, an old settlement near Hexham. The name is derived from the Old English term "Hidgen", which means "holly-tree grove or thicket". The Higdon family was well established in this region when the Normans arrived in 1066, and their descendants were to form a large segment of the aristocracy, having held the family seat of Killington in Cumberland since the 16th century.
In some cases, the name can also be a shorthand form of the name Higdon-Faulkner, which is a compound surname formed from the blending of two originally separate surnames. In this case, Higdon likely came from the Old English word "haga", which means "enclosure" or "hedge", while Faulkner was derived from the Old English word "falc", which means "falconer" or "birdcatcher".
In general, the name Higdon conveys a sense of being one of a hardy, long-standing and resourceful people, who can quickly adapt and change in order to meet the many challenges of life. It bears the rich heritage of the northern English regions and is still widely found in both England and the United States today.
Order DNA origin analysisHigdon: Where does the name Higdon come from?
The last name Higdon is most commonly found today in the United States. Specifically, the Higdon surname is highly concentrated in several regions of the country. In Texas, almost 10% of people with the last name Higdon live in the region around Austin and San Antonio. The Tennessee-Kentucky region also has a sizeable population of Higdons, and the Charlotte area of North Carolina has the fifth-most Higdons in the country.
Historically, the Higdon family name originated from the Scottish county of Ayrshire, but the migration of people bearing the name has spread them across the globe. According to the U.S. Census, Higdon is the 3,425th most common last name, with an estimated 6,400 individuals aged 18 and over in the United States with this name. Approximately 33 percent of these individuals live in Texas, 14 percent in Tennessee, and only 12 percent in North Carolina.
As of 2019, individuals with the last name Higdon are living in 44 of the 50 U.S. states, with the highest concentrations in Alabama, Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. Internationally, the Higdon name can be found in countries such as Canada, Chile, and the United Kingdom. Scotland remains the most popular foreign country for people with the Higdon surname.
Variations of the surname Higdon
The surname HIGDON is an English patronymic surname stemming from the medieval name Higg. Variants of the surname HIGDON include HEGGDON, HIGGIN, HIGGENS, HIGGINSON, HIGGON, and HIGGUN, and all these surnames share the same origin.
The spelling of the surname HIGDON has likely changed due to the lack of consistent spelling of surnames present at the time of its introduction into the English language. The evolution of surnames tends to follow the trends of changing spoken language.
The first recorded spelling of the surname HIGDON was in the 12th century, during the reign of King Henry II. In these records, surnames were spelled according to the spoken word of the time, resulting in various spellings. The surname was spelt as HEGGDON, and it is believed that the name was derived from the Old English word ‘higd’, which means ‘son of Higg’.
Variants of the surname HIGDON, such as HEGGDON, HIGGIN, HIGGENS, HIGGINSON, HIGGON, and HIGGUN, are all derived from the same medieval surname.
It is likely that the surname HIGDON has been further altered through marriage and migration over the years, resulting in additional variations in spelling and surnames of the same origin. Examples of alternative surnames include HEADON, HODON, HEYDON, HIDEN, HYEDON, HYDEN, HODGE, HOGAN and HOGGIN.
In conclusion, the surname HIGDON has many known variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin due to the mutability of the English language.
Famous people with the name Higdon
- Jimmy Higdon: Kentucky State Senator
- Jennifer Higdon: Pulitzer Prize-winning composer
- Donald Higdon: American expressionist painter
- Aaron Higdon: Major League Baseball player
- Sarah Higdon: American impresario
- Clyde Higdon: Founder of Higdon Furniture Company
- Dave Higdon: Sportswriter, Executive Editor of General Aviation News
- Steve Higdon: U.S. Congressman from Kentucky
- Aaron Higdon: Major League Baseball player
- Adreon Higdon: writer
- Jack Higdon: former NFL player
- Carol Higdon: Politician and former Lunenburg County Supervisor
- Mark Higdon: Tubist