riggs.org.uk - RIGGS SURNAME STUDY: SOURCES FOR RIGGS in Heraldry
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RIGGSOLOGY: symbolic coat of arms for RIGGS
A STUDY OF THE
RIGGS SURNAME

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suit of armour RIGGS IN HERALDRY

SOURCES FOR
coats of arms, crests
and mottoes granted
to specific families of
RIGGS and RIGG
suit of armour
Heraldry for RIGGS RIGG Notes This page
Return to Home Page CONTENTS  OF  THIS  PAGE Go to next Section
bullet LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED
bullet DETAILS OF SOURCES

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Return to Top LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED Go to next Section


TYPES OF SOURCES:

  • Harl Soc = Harleian Society collection, primarily of Heralds' Visitations,
       pub as a series of separate volumes
  • mfc = microfiche;
  • MS = manuscript (MSS = manuscripts);
  • SoG = Society of Genealogists

LOCATIONS OF SOURCES:

NOTE: "An Heraldic Alphabet"[S1] is available through UK lending libraries.
The main reference works on heraldry quoted, or at least the later editions[S3][S5] should be available at Central Reference libraries in the larger UK towns and cities, and also at the Society of Genealogists Library (see SoG Lib below).

In my case, I am indebted to the helpful staff at Newport Central Reference Library, in South Wales. Their extensive stock of family history material also includes the earlier editions[S2][S4] of these works, but they are accessible only on special application, because of their age and rarety value - it was a privilege to be able to handle the 1844 edition of Burke's General Armory[S2].

  • Ref Lib = In the larger UK towns and cities (see preceding NOTE).
  • SoG Lib = 14 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Rd, London EC1M 7BA

OTHER ABBREVIATIONS:

  • cat = catalogue;
  • comp = compiled by:
  • edit = edition;
  • fo = folio;
  • Inc = Incorporated;
  • info = information;
  • Lib = Library;
  • Ltd = Limited;
  • orig = originally;
  • p = page (pp = pages);
  • pub = published;
  • Publ = Publishers;
  • ref = reference;
  • repr = reprinted;
  • rev = revisions;
  • vol = Volume

Return to Top DETAILS OF SOURCES Go to next Section
Please see the Introductory Note On Sources, on the main page,
referring to discrepancies  between the various reference books,
and also between different editions of the same book.

S1 An Heraldic Alphabet, by J.P.Brook-Little, Norrey and Ulster King of Arms, orig pub Macdonald & Co. 1973, repr Robson Books Ltd London 1985 (written by one of the three chief heralds).

S2 Encyclopaedia of Heraldry, or General Armory of England, Scotland and Ireland, by John Burke and John Bernard Burke, pub Henry G.John, Covent Garden, London 1844, - copy examined in Ref Lib. "Unofficial, often inaccurate and incomplete, this describes the arms attributed to most British families." [S7].
Some differences in details compared with modern editions [S3].

S3 The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, by Sir Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms, orig pub London 1842, repr facsimile edit 1989 Heraldry Today, Ramsbury, Wiltshire - copy examined in Ref Lib. "Unofficial, often inaccurate and incomplete, this describes the arms attributed to most British families." [S7].
Some differences in details compared with original editions [S2].

S4 Fairbairn's Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland, by James Fairbairn, 4th ed pub 1905 T.C.&G.C.Jack of London & Edinburgh - copy examined in Ref Lib. "The most complete list of crests" [S7].
Some differences in details compared with modern editions [S5].

S5 Fairbairn's Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland, by James Fairbairn, rev by Laurence Buttons and pub Charles E.Tuttle Co.Inc.Rutland, Vermont, USA, first Tuttle edit 1968 - copy examined in Ref Lib. "The most complete list of crests" [S7].
Some differences in details compared with original editions [S4].

S6 Armorial Families, A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-Armour, by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, 7th edit pub 1929 Hurst & Blackwell Ltd, London, orig pub 1902 by T.C.&E.C.Jack of Edinburgh - copy examined in Ref Lib. "Details of some later families who used arms may be found in the various editions." [S7].

S7 Using the Library of the SoG, leaflet pub SoG, London 1992.

S8 p 49 of An Introduction to Heraldry, by Stefan Oliver, pub Apple Press Ltd, Baldock, Herts 1987 - copy examined in Ref Lib.

S9 The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English, 7th edit pub Clarendon Press 1982.

S10 p 821 of Lincolnshire Pedigrees, Harl Soc Vol 52 (ref Harl MS 1550) - copy examined in SOG Lib.

S11 p 154 of Visitations Hants 1622, Harl Soc Vol 64 (ref Harl MS 1554 fo 135b-137) - copy examined in SOG Lib.

S12 p 93 of Visitations Sussex 1622, Harl Soc Vol 89 - copy examined in SOG Lib.

S13 p 65 of Visitations London 1568, Harl Soc Vol 1 (pub London 1869) - copy examined in SOG Lib.

S14 Ref:Add.35,336 p.145,Coll.gr.Vol I of 419 in Holworthy Armorial Collection, comp A.J.Jewers on mfc - SoG Lib Special Collections Cat.

S15 Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, by Sir Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms 1853-92, 17th ed pub 1952 Burke's Peerage Ltd, London.

S16 The Clan Ryan page on the The Clans of Ireland web site.

S17 The General Armory of England, Scotland, Wales; Comprising A Registry of Armorial Bearings From the Earliest To the Present Time, by Sir Bernard Burke, pub 1884 Harrison, 59, Pall Mall, London - viewable on-line at ancestry.com

S18 Basic Heraldry, by Stephen Friar and John Ferguson, pub 1993 The Herbert Press, A & C Black Pub Ltd, London

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This page was last updated: 27th January 2006
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