Milligan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
Scotland

Etymology of Milligan

What does the name Milligan mean?

The Strathclyde-Briton people of ancient Scotland were the first to use the name Milligan. The Milligan family lived in Wigtown, a former royal burgh in the Machars of Galloway in the south west of Scotland. This burgh is first mentioned in an indenture of 1292, and the fact that the sheriffdom was in existence at the time of the Largs campaign of 1263 suggests that the burgh may also have been recognized as such during the reign of Alexander III.

Early Origins of the Milligan family

The surname Milligan was first found in Wigtownshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Bhaile na h-Uige), formerly a county in southwestern Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Dumfries and Galloway, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Milligan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Milligan research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1526, 1612 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Milligan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Milligan Spelling Variations

The variation in the spelling of Medieval names is a result of the lack of spelling rules in the English language prior to the last few hundred years. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound, often varying the spelling of name within a single document. Milligan has appeared as Milligan, Millicen, Millicken, Milliken, Milligan and many more.

Early Notables of the Milligan family

More information is included under the topic Early Milligan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Milligan Ranking

In the United States, the name Milligan is the 1,290^th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 1 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Milligan is ranked the 997^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,966 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Milligan family to Ireland

Some of the Milligan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Milligan migration to the United States +

As the persecution of Clan families continued, they sailed for North America in increasing numbers. In most cases, they found the freedom and opportunity they sought. Land was often available and the American War of Independence allowed Scots an opportunity to solidify their independence from the English crown. These settlers and their ancestors went on to play essential roles in the forging of the nations of the United States and Canada. Among them:

Milligan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Bryant Milligan, who arrived in Virginia in 1705 3
Mary Milligan, aged 34, who arrived in New York in 1774 3
Agnes Milligan, aged 31, who landed in New York in 1774 3

Milligan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Milligan, aged 28, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 3
William Milligan, aged 59, who landed in Kentucky in 1812 3
John Milligan, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1818 3
Margaret Milligan, aged 20, who arrived in Oswegatchie River, NY in 1822 3
Samuel Milligan, aged 30, who arrived in Oswegatchie River, NY in 1822 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Milligan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Milligan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

James Milligan, aged 50, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Dorcas Savage" from Belfast, Ireland
Robert Milligan, who landed in Canada in 1836
Maurice Milligan, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1840
Ms. Mary Milligan, aged 20 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Greenock" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in September 1847 4
Mr. Michael Milligan, aged 60 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Wolfville" departing 25th April 1847 from Sligo, Ireland; the ship arrived on 10th June 1847 but he died on board 5

Milligan Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Miss J A Milligan, who landed in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1907

Milligan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Milligan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

David Milligan, Scottish convict from Glasgow, who was transported aboard the "Albion" on September 21, 1826, settling in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mary Milligan, English convict from Lancaster, who was transported aboard the "America" on December 30, 1830, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 7
John Milligan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Navarino" in 1837 8
Melville Milligan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Nicol" in 1840 9
Sarah Milligan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "William Nicol" in 1840 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Milligan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Milligan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Michael Milligan, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mersey" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 11th June 1861 10
Miss Jane Milligan, (b. 1861), aged Infant, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th January 1862 10
Mr. Hugh Milligan, (b. 1833), aged 28, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th January 1862 10
Mrs. Elizabeth Jane Milligan, (b. 1835), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th January 1862 10
Mr. James Milligan, (b. 1845), aged 16, British painter travelling from London aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th January 1862 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Milligan (post 1700) +

Izona Joyce Milligan (1920-2009), née Brown, American private in the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, first all-female, all-African-American battalion to server overseas
Lambdin Purdy Milligan (1812-1899), American lawyer, farmer, and leader of the Knights of the Golden Circle during the American Civil War
John "Jocko" Milligan (1861-1923), American Major League Baseball catcher
John Jones Milligan (1795-1875), American lawyer and politician, Associate Justice Delaware Superior Court (1839-1864)
Andy Milligan (1929-1991), American playwright, screenwriter, cinematographer, actor, film editor, producer, and director
George Stanley Milligan, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Lexington, Kentucky, 1952-53 11
George F. Milligan, American Republican politician, Member of Iowa State Senate 31st District; Elected 1970 11
Fred G. Milligan Jr., American Republican politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Kings County 5th District, 1915-16; Defeated, 1938, 1940 11
Frank Milligan, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Arizona, 1952 11
Dennis Milligan, American Republican politician, Arkansas Republican State Chair, 2008; Delegate to Republican National Convention from Arkansas, 2008 11
... (Another 35 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Milligan family +

Halifax Explosion

Mr. Gilbert D. Milligan (1895-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 12

HMS Royal Oak

Lawrence W. Milligan, British Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 13
John McIsaac Milligan (1920-1939), British Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 13

North Sea Flood

Isabella Sarah Milligan, British traveler aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" killed in the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953

USS Arizona

Mr. Weldon Hawvey Milligan, American Seaman First Class from Texas, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 14

The Milligan Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Regarde Bien
Motto Translation: Attend well.

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 47)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 89)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Albion voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1826 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/albion/1826
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1830 with 135 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1830
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) NAVARINO 1837. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837Navarino.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) WILLIAM NICOL. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840WilliamNichol.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html