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Research
The Biggar Project

Birth, Death, and Marriage Records were kept by churches. Prior to the beginning of civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths in Scotland, which began in 1855, Scottish ancestors can be more difficult to find.  

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Naming Pattern—If you find too many possibilities for the same person, consider this commonly used pattern for the naming of children

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  1.  The eldest son was named after the father’s father.

  2.  The second son was named after the mother’s father.

  3.  The third son was named for the father—if the name was not already used.

  4.  The eldest daughter was named after the mother’s mother.

  5.  The second daughter was named after the father’s mother.

  6.  The third daughter was named for the mother—if the name was not already used.

  7.  Additional children could be named for other relatives.  If a child died, the name could be reused for a subsequent child

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“The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.”
-Erma Bombeck

c.1320  -  Sir Walter Biggar  Lord Great Chamberlain of All Scotland from 1348-1369.  He also was in the High                  Orders and Vicar or Rector of the Parish of Errol in Perthshire

c.1525   - Alexander Bigar Sheriff of Edinburgh M. Agnes Chevis on the 27th Oct 1566  Canongate. 
             - Alexander Bigar Sheriff of Edinburgh  M. Margaret Elphingstoun She died 05 Jan 1641 in  Eister-                           Newtoun
 1540   - Thomas Biggar  minister at kinghorn b. 1540 m. Elizabeth Colvin had 2 children. d. Jan 4 1605.

            - Thomas Biggar a daughter Elizabeth 11 JAN 1561 Colchester, Essex, England

            -  John Biggar m Eliza Dorham in 1573  Wootton, Oxford,  England 

c.1545 -  Elizabeth Biggar m. William Hutchinson on the 27th May 1565  Canongate

              -  Robert Biggart M. Margaret Alexander  on the 3rd  Feb 1591 in Stirling

c.1560  - Gabriel Bigger m. Jonet Pacock on the 6th Sept 1598  Edinburgh

             -  Walter Bigar M. Agnes Stoddart abt 1606 in St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh

            -  Richard Bigger M. Susan Bigger 30 JAN 1610  Shalfleet, Hampshire, London

            -  Richard Bigar m. Bessie Porteous (or Johnstoun) on the 27th AUG 1611  Edinburgh

           -  Herbert Biggar of Barbuie m. Janet M'Kinney of the Captainton Family.  He died in 1638,                                        Kirkudbrightshire.

          -  Andro Bigar m.  Elizabeth Porteous on the 16th OCT 1619  Canongate. He died Nov 1628 in  Edinburgh

          -  Adam Bigger M. Helen Laurestonne on the 27th Jan 1613 in Edinburgh

          -  David Bigger M. Margaret Lauder Saint Cuthberts He died 14th Apr 1662

 

- Tammy Bigger-

Herbert Biggar received on March 10, 1614, a grant of land from the Crown through the Archbishop of Glasgow, including the Barony of Bishop Forest, Parish of Kirkpatrick-Irongray, Stewartry of Kirkcudbrightshire.

 

In 1673 James Edmonstone sold Woolmet to Major John Biggar, whose daughter married William Wallace, a nephew of Sir Thomas Wallace of Craigie, Lord Justice-Clerk. On uniting himself to the heiress, Wallace (a descendant of the Scottish patriot) assumed the name and arms of Biggar.​​ On Major Biggar's death, a family of his name in Ireland disputed the validity of his will. It was legally affirmed,3 but on Sir Hugh Wallace, as administrator for his son, proceeding to take possession of the lands, there ensued a riotous opposition.

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Biggar, Charles, converses with Napoleon- This member of the Biggar family once conversed with Napoleon, and in the 'Narrative ' tells that on one occasion he had an excellent opportunity if there had been two persons along with him, of bringing Napoleon a prisoner to England

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