Surname Rigger - Meaning and Origin
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Rigger: What does the surname Rigger mean?
The last name Rigger is an occupational surname derived from the word “rigger” which may refer to several different jobs. In the Navy, it was a term for someone who maintained and repaired the rigging and sails on ships. It is also a term for someone who erects large structures, such as cranes and buildings, by connecting and assembling different parts.
In Scotland, rigger was a term used to refer to a web-maker. It was also sometimes used to refer to a tailor and a shoemaker. The name is a combination of the Scots word rig meaning “to dress” and the suffix –er that is used to indicate someone who does something.
The Rigger name can be found throughout the United Kingdom, especially in Scotland and England, and it likely originated hundreds of years ago. It was likely adopted by families whose ancestors were involved in various trades and occupations, such as working with rope and sails, custom tailoring, and creating and repairing clothing. Over the years, the Rigger name has become associated with an occupational heritage of skilled craftsmanship, skill, and strength.
Order DNA origin analysisRigger: Where does the name Rigger come from?
The last name Rigger is common in many parts of the world today. It is particularly common in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the United States, the use of the name Rigger as a surname was first recorded in the 1850's in New Hampshire. Since then, its usage has gradually increased in all states, particularly those along the east coast. There also have been significant numbers of individuals with the last name Rigger recorded in North Carolina, Virginia, Illinois, and other states.
The name Rigger is also common in the United Kingdom. The first recorded use of the name was in Scotland, during the 16th century. Since then, its spread has been seen in parts of England, Wales, and Ireland. It can also be found in substantial numbers in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
What's more is that there is evidence of the name Rigger being used in other parts of the world, such as in Germany and France. It is believed to be a combination of the German and French words "rig" and "ger," meaning strong or rugged. Therefore, it can be seen that the last name Rigger is quite widespread in today's world.
Variations of the surname Rigger
The surname Rigger is believed to be an occupational name derived from the term "rigger" which is an archaic English and Scottish term for a person who mended sails on ships or a sailor who worked with rigging (for example, attaching sails to a sailboat). Variations of the surname can include Riggar, Rigger, Riggar and even Rigag.
The derivation can be traced back to the English words rig or reig which was used by Old Englishmen to refer to the act of dressing sails. This term would then be passed from generation to generation and become the basis for the surname Rigger.
In some cases, the spelling of the surname may have been adapted by people in their own local dialect, for example,pellings like Riggar, Riggar, Rigag and later, Rigger.
The spelling Riggar is likely to have originated from the Irish Gaelic language, and may have been misinterpreted over the years as Riggar, or simply be a variation in pronunciation among English speakers.
In Scandinavian countries, the spelling is Riggar and used to refer to those who worked with rigging on ships, with the spelling carrying on through the generations.
Finally, some variations of the surname are often derived from other similar surnames like migrating families or simply through etymology misspellings. For example, some branches of the Rigger family may have branched off and added the suffix "er" or "ers" to create surnames like Riggers, Reigers, Roigers, and Rider.
Famous people with the name Rigger
- Christian Rigger: American four-time Emmy Award-winning cinematographer who has worked on films such as ‘Apollo 13’, ‘Forrest Gump’ and ‘Cast Away’.
- Brian Rigger: Christian and inspirational author who wrote the New York Times bestselling book ‘You Can Be Anything.’
- Frank Rigger: Australian record producer, musician, songwriter and poet who has helped create a variety of genre-blending music albums.
- Parker Rigger: American entrepreneur and CEO of the web design firm Firefuel Inc. He has more than 20 years of experience in web design and strategy.
- Peter Rigger: Freelance and corporate photographer who has taken pictures for a variety of publications, including ‘The Independent’ and ‘The Guardian’, as well as for advertising campaigns.
- Julie Rigger: American author, adventurer and environmentalist who wrote ‘The Year of the Whale’ and is a frequent contributor to National Geographic Magazine’s ‘Adventure’ section.
- Delphine Rigger: Liberal politician who ran for the Ontario Liberal Party at the 2021 Canadian federal election.
- Matt Rigger: Voice actor who has lent his voice to various animated shows and video games, most notably as the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog.
- Yvonne Rigger: Founder and director of the ‘Living Fit’ fitness program, which has broadcasted live from the Redondo Beach Pier in California since 2018.
- Steven Rigger: American entertainment lawyer who has represented leading stars in the music, film and television industries, such as Kelly Clarkson and Will Ferrell.