If you are the proud owner of the Liggins surname, then you are no doubt already aware of the fact that it is not a very common name, and unfortunately no one seems to know 100% for sure where the name originated. It seems that there are two possibilites, one being that it originates from the surname 'Lyons' and the other from the surname 'Lygon". So, here I will present a little information about each, and then leave you to draw your own conclusions. I personally prefer to believe that it originated from 'Lyons', not for noble reasons, but for the fact that the Lyons Family has it's own Coat of Arms and Family Crest

So, it is with the surname 'Lyons' that I begin.........

The Lyons Surname

The Lyons surname is a 'patronymic' surname, one based on -- the first name of the Ancestor's Father. It is derived from either of two native Gaelic Septs (sept=a branch of a family; especially: Clan). The O'Laighin Sept was based in County Galway whilst the O'Liathain Sept was based in County Cork.

It is one of the commonest surnames in Ireland particularly in the three southern provinces. In Ulster especially it may be a variant of the English and Scottish surname ‘Lyon’, which can derive, as a nickname, from ‘lion’, from the first name Leo or Leon, or from the placename Lyon-la-Foret in Normandy.

Elsewhere, however, Lyons is virtually always the anglicised version of one of two Irish names, O Laighin, from laighean, meaning ‘grey’. O Laighin originated in two areas, in County Kerry and in east Galway, where the family’s territory was centred on Kilconnell. In Kerry, however, the name was almost invariably anglicised as ‘Lyne’. The O Liathain family are reputed to have originated in County Limerick, but are now to be found much more frequently in County Cork, particularly in the north of the county, where the village of Castlelyons records their presence. O Liathain has also been anglicised as ‘Lehane’.

The Lyons Family Crest is 'a black shield is with an upside down 'V' that is surrounded by three lions.The black on the shield stands for Constancy, Grief. This can be seen in the Lyons Coat of Arms above.

The Lygon Surname

The following origin for the Liggins surname was found on the Internet and was submitted by an individual According to this, the Liggins surname is traced to George Lygon Father of Sir Richard Lygon of England and means "wolf-shaft spear" My own research into this has shown that there is an error, as George Lygon was not the Father of Sir Richard Lygon, but an Ancestor.

From 'Lygon Line' website: The first Lygon probably came from Normandy to England with William the Conqueror, yet research has revealed very little concerning the family record from that time (1066) on down to George Lygon. In the Visitations of Worcester, 1569, George Lygon is the first of the family in the pedigree given by the Lygons to the Hearlds(?). The 7th Earl Beauchamp says, in the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society Transactions, (Vol 42, p. 33) that he has no records of George Lygon, but has deeds of his son, William Lygon, and his grandson, Richard Lygon.

According to Wurts, pp. 2218-2221, George Lygon, a descendant of the de Bracy family, were the original owners of the Manor of Madresfield, in Worcestershire, which manor was still in possession of the Lygon family in the 1940's. This family came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and, having fought under the standard of Normandy, received two lions passant in their Arms.

There is much more detailed information on the the Lygon Family available in many places on the Internet, so if you would like to know more, just try entering either' Sir Richard Lygon' or 'George Lygon' in your favourite Search Engine. Happy hunting!