Stag

Recorded as the English Stagg, Stagge and the rare plural Staggs or Stagges, and the Scottish Stag and Staig, this is a surname of pre 7th century origins. It derives from the Olde English word "stagga" through the later medieval "stag," and as such was probably a nickname for a fast runner, one who ran like a stag, although given the black chaucerian humour of the period, perhaps the reverse! The coat of arms itself is a 'canting' in that the blazon is a description of the name, being two stags heads proper, between a blue chevron, on a gold field. Early examples of the name recording include Thomas Stagg in the Close Rolls of King Edward 111rd of England for the 17th year of his reign in 1343, whilst Adam Stagge appears in the Poll Tax rolls of the city of York for the year 1379. Later recordings include William Staig of Cheindlkirk, Scotland, in 1564, Margaret Stagg, who married William Hudson at St Dionis Backchurch, London in 1586, William Stagge of Dorset, a student at Oxford University in 1579 - 1580, and Jeremiah Staggs, a witness at the chuirch of St Sepulchre, in the city of London on July 9th 1721. Amongst the earliest of the records of the New England colonies is that of Mr William Stagg, the Master of the ship 'Elizabeth', who embarked for Virginia on April 15th 1635. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Stagge. This was dated 1198, in the Pipe Rolls of the county of Sussex, during the reign of King Richard 1st of England and known as 'The Lionheart', 1189 - 1199. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.