Higgins is a surname found in England and in Ireland, with several origins.Arthur, William (1857). An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names with an Essay on Their Derivation and Import. New York: Sheldon, Blake, Bleeker & Co. p. 160.
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. Although there is another variation, which is also an Irish surname: McHiggins.
In business Aldus Chapin Higgins (1872–1948), American lawyer and businessman Andrew Higgins (1886–1952), founder of Higgins Industries and inventor of the Higgins boat John Woodman Higgins (1874–1961), American steel magnate Milton Prince Higgins (1842–1912), American industrialist and educator Pattillo Higgins (1863–1955), American oil pioneer and businessman, known as the "Prophet of Spindletop"
In education and science Aparna Higgins, Indian-American mathematician Charles Hayes Higgins (1811–1898), British surgeon and medical author Chris Higgins, British geneticist, Vice-Chancellor of Durham University Colleen Higgins, plant pathologist in New Zealand Donald Higgins (1943–1989), Canadian academic E. Tory Higgins (born 1946), American psychologist Henry Higgins (botanist) (1814–1893), English botanist Julian Higgins, British statistician Lionel George Higgins (1891–1985), British obstetrician and lepidopterist Michael W. Higgins (born 1948), Canadian academic and writer Reynold Higgins (1916–1993), English archaeologist Tony Higgins (1944–2004), English university executive William Higgins, Irish chemist William Victor Higgins, American painter and teacher
In literature Aidan Higgins, (1927–2015), Irish writer Beda Higgins, British poet and writer Fiona Higgins, Irish writer George V. Higgins (1939–1999), American attorney and author Jack Higgins (1929–2022), pseudonym of British novelist Harry Patterson Marguerite Higgins (1920–1966), American journalist and war correspondent Michael D. Higgins, (born 1941), Irish poet and president Olive Higgins Prouty (1882–1974), born Olive Higgins, American novelist and poet Rita Ann Higgins (born 1955), Irish poet and playwright Ryan T. Higgins, American children's book author
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 Brian Higgins (born 1966), British record producer 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 as Juice WRLD Jon B. Higgins (1939–1984), American Carnatic singer Missy Higgins, Australian singer The Higgins, Canadian band
In politics Brian Higgins (born 1959), 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 Geary Higgins, American politician from Virginia H. B. Higgins, Australian politician and judge Jennifer B. Higgins, American government official Jim Higgins (British politician), British socialist Joe Higgins (politician), Socialist Party MEP for Dublin; ex-TD John Patrick Higgins, former U.S. Representative from Massachusetts Joseph T. Higgins (1890–1980), American politician from New York Michael D. Higgins (born 1941), Irish politician, poet, broadcaster and sociologist, President of Ireland (2011–2025) Patricia Higgins, American politician 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 Terence Higgins, Baron Higgins (1928–2025), British politician and athlete 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 (born 1981), English rugby union footballer Andy Higgins (1960–2021, born Andrew Martin Higgins), English football player Andy Higgins (born 1993), Australian association football player Arthur Higgins (died 1915), rugby league footballer who played in the 1910s Chris Higgins (born 1983), American hockey player David Higgins (born 1972), Irish golfer Dudley Higgins (1920–1999), Irish rugby union player Dylan Higgins (born 1991), Zimbabwean cricketer Elijah Higgins (born 2000), American football player Emma Higgins (footballer) (born 1986), Northern Irish association footballer Garin Higgins (born 1968), American football coach Harry Higgins (1894–1979), English cricketer Henry Higgins (1944–1978), English bullfighter Jack Higgins, rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s Jay Higgins (born 2002), American football player Jayden Higgins (born 2002), American football player Jim Higgins (1897–1964), Scottish boxer of the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s John Higgins (born 1975), Scottish snooker player Johnnie Lee Higgins (born 1983), free agent wide receiver in the NFL Luke Higgins (1921–1991), American football player Mark Higgins (born 1971), British rally car driver Norm Higgins (1936–2026), American marathon runner P. J. Higgins (born 1993), American baseball player Pinky Higgins (1909–1969), American baseball player, manager, and scout Rashard Higgins (born 1994), American football wide receiver Ron Higgins (1923–2016), English footballer Roy Higgins (1938–2014), Australian jockey Ruaidhrí Higgins (born 1984), Northern Irish football player and manager Shaun Higgins (born 1988), Australian rules footballer Tee Higgins (born 1999), American football wide receiver Tyler Higgins (born 1991), American baseball player
In television and film Clare Higgins (born 1955), English actress John Michael Higgins (born 1963), American actor and comedian Kate Higgins (born 1969), American voice actress, singer, and jazz pianist Kenneth Higgins (1919–2008), British cinematographer Maura Higgins (born 1990), Irish television personality 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 Adam Higgins (born 1989) American contemporary painter 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 George Frank Higgins (1850–1884), American painter from Massachusetts Godfrey Higgins (1772–1833), English writer on mythology Dame Joan Higgins, British academic and health service manager Margaret Higgins, Scottish murderer 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 Henry Higgins, in the play Pygmalion and the derivative musical stage play and later movie, My Fair Lady Jonathan Higgins, on the American TV series Magnum, P.I., played by John Hillerman Juliet Higgins, female version of the same character, on the 2018 reboot Jake Higgins, anthropologist and protagonist of the 2019 survival video game Green Hell
See also General Higgins (disambiguation) Justice Higgins (disambiguation) Senator Higgins (disambiguation) O'Higgins (disambiguation) Higginson (disambiguation) Huggins (disambiguation)
References