O'Higgins (Irish: ''

Ó hUiginn Ó hUiginn is the surname of a Gaels, Gaelic-Irish people, Irish family of soldiers, poets, and historians located in Connacht. Originally part of the southern Uí Néill based in the Irish midlands, they moved west into Connacht. They were espec ...

'') is an Irish noble family. Its Ballynary line is descended from Shean Duff O'Higgins (

fl. ''Floruit'' ( ; usually abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for 'flourished') denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indic ...

1600 C.E.), Gaelic Baron of Ballynary, who was married to a daughter of the royal family of O'Conor at Ballintuber Castle in Connacht. Shean Duff O'Higgins himself claimed descent from King Niall of Tara (d. 450 C.E.). Historically, many of their ancestors were poets and scholars who enjoyed the patronage of several chiefly families including

O'Conor Don The O'Conor dynasty (Middle Irish: ''Ó Conchobhair''; Modern ) are an Irish noble dynasty and formerly one of the most influential and distinguished royal dynasties in Ireland. The O'Conor family held the throne of the Kingdom of Connacht up ...

, MacDermott,

O'Doherty O'Doherty () is an Irish surname, which is derived from the O'Doherty family, O'Doherty clan. List of people with the surname *Brian O'Doherty (born 1928), Irish art critic, writer, artist, and academic *Sir Cahir O'Doherty (1587–1608), last G ...

, O'Gara, and MacDonagh. O'Higgins are counted among the Gaelic nobility as a

sept A sept () is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used both in Scotland and in Ireland, where it may be translated as Irish , meaning "progeny" or "seed", and may indicate the descendants of a person ...

of the royal house of O'Neill. Members of this family were further ennobled in 1724 by

James Francis Edward Stuart James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 16881 January 1766), nicknamed the Old Pretender by Whigs (British political party), Whigs or the King over the Water by Jacobitism, Jacobites, was the House of Stuart claimant to the thrones of Ki ...

(

Jacobite pretender The Jacobite succession is the line through which Jacobites believed that the crowns of England, Scotland, and Ireland should have descended, applying male preference primogeniture, since the deposition of James II and VII in 1688 and his death ...

to the throne of

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

and

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

) during his exile in France. A branch that emigrated to

Spanish America Spanish America refers to the Spanish territories in the Americas during the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The term "Spanish America" was specifically used during the territories' Spanish Empire, imperial era between 15th and 19th centur ...

was ennobled in the

Spanish nobility The Spanish nobility are people who possess a title of nobility confirmed by the Spanish Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Cortes, as well as those individuals appointed to one of Spain's three highest orders of knightho ...

in 1795 and 1796 by

Charles IV of Spain Charles IV (; 11 November 1748 – 20 January 1819) was King of Spain and ruler of the Spanish Empire from 1788 to 1808. The Spain inherited by Charles IV gave few indications of instability, but during his reign, Spain entered a series of disa ...

; later members of this branch became prominent in the liberation and politics of republican

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

Family name

Earlier scholars traced the origin of the name from the word "knowledge" in Irish, possible linked to the family's early prominence as bards to the Gaelic Kings. However, more recent scholars have identified that "uigin" refers to a Norse seafarer or Viking. During Gaelic times, the prefix "Uí" was employed before a name to indicate lineage from a grandson. This particular family is believed to trace their ancestry back to the grandson of Uiginn, who resided in the 11th century, or potentially to an earlier Uiginn, who was a grandson of King Niall of Tara. In contemporary society, the surname has frequently been anglicized to "Higgins" when translated from Irish to English. However, individuals from the higher-ranking branches of the family still maintain the usage of "O'Higgins."

Background

The O'Higgins family originated in the

Kingdom of Meath Meath ( ; ; ) was a kingdom in Ireland from the 1st to the 12th century AD. Its name means "middle," denoting its location in the middle of the island. At its greatest extent, it included all of County Meath (which takes its name from the k ...

and

Brega Brega , also known as ''Mersa Brega'' or ''Marsa al-Brega'' ( , i.e. "Brega Seaport"), is a complex of several smaller towns, industry installations and education establishments situated in Libya on the Gulf of Sidra, the most southerly point of ...

which equate to the modern Irish counties of

Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...

and

Westmeath County Westmeath (; or simply ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It formed part of the historic Kingdom of ...

. As a

of the

Southern Uí Néill The Southern Uí Néill (, ) were a branch of the Uí Néill dynasty that invaded and settled in the Kingdom of Mide and its associated kingdoms. Two sons of Niall Noigiallach, Lóegaire () and Coirpre (), initially led the dynasty. As did th ...

their roots in these areas can be traced at least to the 5th century and possibly even earlier. By the 12th century the senior branch of the family had migrated into the

Kingdom of Connacht The Kings of Connacht were rulers of the ''cóiced'' (variously translated as portion, fifth, province) of Connacht, which lies west of the River Shannon, Ireland. However, the name only became applied to it in the early medieval era, being named ...

where they settled and were granted large estates by the O'Conors in

Sligo Sligo ( ; , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of 20,608 in 2022, it is the county's largest urban centre (constituting 2 ...

at Dooghorne and Monteige in the Barony of

Luighne Muimne, Luigne and Laigne, sons of Érimón by his wife Odba, were, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, joint High Kings of Ireland following the death of their father. They ruled for three years, until Muimne died of pl ...

under the protection of the O'Hara Chiefs and at

Ballynary Ballynary () is a townland on the eastern shore of Lough Arrow in south County Sligo, Ireland. Ballynary was the ancestral seat of the O'Higgins family (or in Irish) for 700 years, until they were forced off their lands in 1654 by Oliver Crom ...

in the Barony of Tir-Errill under the protection of the MacDonagh Chiefs. From the Council of Drom Ceat in 574 AD up to the end of the Gaelic era in the 17th century various members of the O'Higgins clan were hereditary poets (''filés'' in Irish) in the courts of Irish Princes and Chiefs. As hereditary poets they were accorded a status of nobility second in rank only to the King and were entitled to wear the same number of colours in their robes. Members of this family came under the patronage of other Irish noble houses particularly Ó Conor, Ó Neill, MacDonagh, Ó Rourke,

Maguire The Maguire ( ) family is an Irish clans, Irish clan based in County Fermanagh. The name derives from the Goidelic languages, Gaelic , which is "son of Odhar" meaning 'Wikt:sallow, sallow' or 'pale-faced'. According to legend, this relates to the ...

, Ó Doherty, Mac Dermot and Ó Gara. From the 14th to the 17th centuries the O'Higgins were among the most prolific poets in the courts of the Irish Princes.:

Loss of status and migration

By 1654, the O'Higgins family had all their Irish estates confiscated by

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially ...

due to their refusal to submit to the Parliamentarians. While some members of the family remained in Sligo as tenants on their former lands, others migrated to

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

where they achieved high offices in service to the

Spanish Crown The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish ...

. The O'Higgins of Ballynary migrated to

Summerhill, County Meath Summerhill () is a heritage village in County Meath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located in the south of the county, between Trim, County Meath, Trim and Kilcock on the R158 road, R158 and west of Dunboyne on the R156 road, R156. It is ...

where they lived at Clondoogan and

Agher Agher () is a crossroads and townland in County Meath, Ireland. It is located southwest of Summerhill. Agher is in a civil parish of the same name. Agher Demesne Turn left at the crossroads; continue a kilometre down the road and on the left ...

and worked for the Langford family of

Summerhill House Summerhill House was a 100-roomed Palladian house in County Meath, Ireland which was the ancestral seat of the Viscounts Langford and the Barons Langford. Built in 1731, it was likely designed by Sir Edward Lovett Pearce and completed by Ric ...

. In 1751, one of their number

Ambrose O'Higgins Ambrosio Bernardo O'Higgins y O'Higgins, 1st Marquess of Osorno (c. 1720 – 19 March 1801) born Ambrose Bernard O'Higgins (''Ambrós Bearnárd Ó hUiginn'', in Irish), was an Irish-Spanish colonial administrator and a member of the O'Higgins f ...

left Summerhill for

Cádiz Cádiz ( , , ) is a city in Spain and the capital of the Province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean separated fr ...

, Spain from where he went to

Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...

and

; he eventually

Hispanicized Hispanicization () refers to the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by Hispanic culture or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-Hispanic becomes Hispanic. Hispanicization is illustrated by spoken ...

his name to Ambrosio. In 1788 he became

Royal Governor of Chile The royal governor of Chile ruled over the Spanish colonization of the Americas, Spanish colonial administrative district called the Captaincy General of Chile, and as a result the royal governor also held the title of a captain general. There w ...

. He was

ennobled Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. Th ...

by King

initially in 1795 as Barón de Ballinar and again in 1796 when he was raised to Marquess of Osorno. His son,

Bernardo O'Higgins Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme (; 20 August 1778 – 24 October 1842) was a Chilean independence leader who freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. He was a wealthy landowner of Basque people, Basque-Spanish people, Spani ...

was a leader of the Chilean Patriots in the

Chilean War of Independence The Chilean War of Independence (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Guerra de la Independencia de Chile'', 'War of Independence of Chile') was a military and political event that allowed the emancipation of Chile from the Spanish Empire, Spanish Mona ...

and a leading military officer in the

Army of the Andes The Army of the Andes () was a military force created by the United Provinces of South America, United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (Argentina) and assembled by General José de San Martín as part of his campaign to liberate Chile from the S ...

; Bernardo became the second

Supreme Director of Chile Supreme may refer to: Entertainment * Supreme (character), a comic book superhero created by Rob Liefeld * ''Supreme'' (film), a 2016 Telugu film * Supreme (producer), hip-hop record producer * "Supreme" (song), a 2000 song by Robbie Williams * ...

in 1817. His son (1818–1868) was an entrepreneur who also served as a politician. Ambrose O'Higgins' brother, William (who Hispanicized his name to Guillermo) served as a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in the

Spanish Army The Spanish Army () is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest Standing army, active armies – dating back to the late 15th century. The Spanish Army has existed ...

and colonial administrator in

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

. File:Portrait of Ambrosio O'Higgins.jpg, Ambrosio O'Higgins, 1st Marquess of Osorno. File:Ohiggins.jpg, Bernardo O'Higgins (1778-1842), 1st Head of State of Chile. File:Demetrio O´Higgins.jpg, Pedro Demetrio O'Higgins Puga (1818-1868), Chilean Politician and Entrepreneur. The

line of the O'Higgins family continued at Summerhill in

County Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...

until 1947. Sir John Higgins Bt of Monteige, kinsman to the O'Higgins of Ballynary, was knighted and ennobled by

in 1724 in return for his services to France. He was senior physician to the King of Spain. His cousin Don Esteban de Iguiño (Stephen Higgins) was a General in the Spanish Colonial Army in the Philippines.

Notable members of the family

Tadhg Mór Ó hUiginn Tadhg Mór Ó hUiginn was an Irish poet. Ó hUiginn was a member of a highly regarded Connacht O'Higgins family of bards. His surviving poems include: * ''Gach éan mar a adhbha'' * ''Slán fat fholcadh'' See also * O'Higgins family O' ...

(died 1315) *

Fercert Ó hUiginn Fercert Ó hUiginn (died 1419) was an Irish poet. Fercert was a member of the Ó hUiginn brehon family of Connacht. His obit, ''sub anno'' 1419 in the Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annal ...

, Irish poet (died 1419). * Tadhg Óg mac Taidhg mheic Giolla Choluim Ó hUiginn (died 1448) *

Bernard O'Higgins Bernard O'Higgins (?–1564) was an Irish Roman Catholic bishop. He served as the Bishop of Elphin The Bishop of Elphin (; ) is an Episcopal polity, episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Elphin, County Roscommon, ...

, Bishop of Elphin, (died 1564) *

Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn (c. 1550 – c.1591) was an Irish poet. Background A well-known late-Gaelic era poet, Tadhg Dall Ó hUiginn was a member of a family of professional poets from north Connacht. His mother's name is unknown. His father was M ...

(1550–1591) *Pól Ó hUiginn (fl. 17th century), also known as Paul Higgins, Roman Catholic deacon and then Vicar-General of Killala diocese before converting to the Established Church. * Shean Duff O'Higgins (fl. 1600), Baron of Ballynary. * Sir John Higgins of Montoge (died 1729), Knight, Baronet and Councillor of Castile *Don

Ambrosio O'Higgins Ambrosio Bernardo O'Higgins y O'Higgins, 1st Marquess of Osorno (c. 1720 – 19 March 1801) born Ambrose Bernard O'Higgins (''Ambrós Bearnárd Ó hUiginn'', in Irish), was an Irish-Spanish colonial administrator and a member of the O'Higgins f ...

(d. 1801), Knight, 1st Barón de Ballinar, 1st Marquess de Osorno. *Don

(died 1842), second

* Petronila Riquelme (1808–1870), daughter of Bernardo O'Higgins, posthumously known as Petronila O'Higgins *Dr.

James O'Higgins Norman James O'Higgins Norman PC, OStJ, FRSA holds the UNESCO Chair on Tackling Bullying in Schools and Cyberspace at Dublin City University. He is the director of the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre, and a member of the Governme ...

(born 1968), Irish academic and author at

Dublin City University Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) () is a Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland, university based on the Northside, Dublin, Northside of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Created as the ''National Institute for Highe ...

Arms

The O'Higgins family are

armigerous In heraldry, an armiger is a (natural or juridical) person entitled to use a heraldic achievement (e.g., bear arms, an "armour-bearer") either by hereditary right, grant, matriculation, or assumption of arms. Such a person is said to be armig ...

in the

Kingdom of Ireland The Kingdom of Ireland (; , ) was a dependent territory of Kingdom of England, England and then of Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain from 1542 to the end of 1800. It was ruled by the monarchs of England and then List of British monarchs ...

, the Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (Jacobite) and in the

Kingdom of Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

. File:Arms of Sir John Higgins of Monteige.jpg, Arms of Sir John Higgins of Montoge Bt,(Athlone Pursuivant of Arms, 1724). File:O'Higgins of Ballynary Coat of Arms. Spain 1788 and 2011. Cronista de Armas de Castille y Leon..jpg, Arms of the O'Higgins of Ballynary (by Ulster King of Arms, 1788; Cronista Rey de Armas, 1795; Cronista de Armas de Castilla y León, 2011) File:Escudo de Osorno.svg, Arms of

, 1st Marquis of Osorno (Cronista Rey de Armas de Castilla y León. 1796 File:Arms of James O’Higgins Norman.png, Coat of Arms Dr. James O'Higgins Norman (Cronista Rey de Armas de Castilla y León 2011). The earliest known coat of arms was recorded in 1724 by Sir John Higgins of Montoge with Sir James Terry, Athlone Herald in the Court of the exiled James II at St. Germain. Sir John Higgins's branch of the family moved to Limerick after they lost their lands at Monteige in Sligo and eventually relocated in France and later in Spain where John Higgins was knighted and became personal physician to the King of Spain. The descent of the Arms of Shean Duff O'Higgins, Baron of Ballynary were recorded in the Office of

Ulster King of Arms Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is the provincial King of Arms at the College of Arms with jurisdiction over England north of the Trent and Northern Ireland. The two offices of Norroy and Ulster were formerly separate. Norroy King of Arms is th ...

in 1788 having existed for at least the previous 200 years. and were later recorded in 2011 with the Cronista Rey de Armas in Madrid eventually descending to Thomas O'Higgins of Cheshire. In 1788, Don Ambrose O'Higgins obtained a certificate of descent and the right to use the Ballynary Arms with due difference from Ulster King of Arms (Kingdom of Ireland) and subsequently received a grant from the Cronista Rey de Armas (Kingdom of Spain). His Coat of Arms was then adopted in 1796 as the official emblem of the city of

Osorno, Chile Osorno (Mapuche language, Mapuche: Chauracavi) is a List of cities in Chile, city and Communes of Chile, commune in southern Chile and capital of Osorno Province in the Los Lagos Region. It had a population of 145,475, as of the 2002 census. It i ...

after which he had been ennobled as Marquis of Osorno. Dr.

recorded Arms in 2011 with the Cronista Rey de Armas de Castilla y León before being admitted as a Caballero in La Casa Troncal de los Doce Linajes de Soria.Quedó Inscrito en el Libro General de Linajes, Libro I, Asiento N° 82.

Fictional references

In the episode "The Case of the Guilty Clients" of '' ''Perry Mason'''', the suspect is a South American from Argentina named "O'Higgins," implying that she is a descendant of Don Bernardo O'Higgins—although Bernardo O'Higgins was a resident of Chile.

References

External links

The O'Higgins Clan, A Sept of the Royal House of O'Neill

Finte na hÉireann ~ Clans of Ireland
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohiggins Spanish noble families Chilean nobility Chilean families of Irish ancestry Uí Néill