PIGG

The Pigg family descended from a Gaul Tribe that were employed by the Romans during their conquest of the world.  Most probably one of the tribes that transversed the Alps settling in the Po River Valley.  Their tribal national emblem was the European wild boar, which is said to be the most dangerous animal in the world to hunt.  The Romans fought shoulder to shoulder behind their shields, thrusting their swords in front of them.  The Gauls, known for their broad swords, fought with a slashing motion, hacking the enemy to death.  The result was the Romans calling the Gaul mercenaries Porcus, from which we get the English names, Pigg, Hogg, Ham, and Bacon.

The family grew to some prominence, being mentioned often in Senate records.

“William Pigg, originally from Rome, established the name in Messina in 1050 A.D.  His son, Cataldo Pigg, organized a company of green uniformed guards and had charge of escorting the Holy Sacrament, administered to the sick, defending it from violent sacrileges of the Saracens, etc.  This Cataldo had a son also named Cataldo who had a son Genovese who was a retainer and first royal counselor to the King William II of England.  William Pigg, son of Genovese, was appointed by Charles I of Anjou as military commander of Messina and established the family that became the Barons of Portonotaro in 1593.  Other Baronies were added later.” (from a letter written by Albert M. Pigg to Virginia Allen around 1939, from information he obtained from “The Great Rolls” and “The Norman People and their Descendants in the British Dominion and the U.S. of America” published by Henry S. King in London, 1774.)

At least one Pigg was with William Duke of Normandy in his invasion of England in 1066.  Recorded in the Domesday Book is (Alferic Pigg?)  The family concentrated in Northumberland County, and members of the family continue to reside there today.

Circa 1644, John Pigg immigrated to the colony of Virginia, obviously having been a supporter of King Charles I.  John was the father of Edward Pigg, who died in Spotsylvania Co., Va., who was the father of Charles Filkes Pigg, a constable of Spotsylvania Co., who was the father of Rev. Edward Pigg, who brought his family to South Carolina in 1784.  Rev. Edward Pigg first settled on Rafting Creek in what is now Sumter Co., SC; then relocated to the far north eastern corner of Fairfield Co.; finally settling in Chesterfield Co., SC, where he died.  He had four sons that lived in Chesterfield Co., Edward Pigg, who disappears before 1820, Rev. Charles F. Pigg, Moses Pigg, and Johnny Pigg.  From these sons all of the Piggs in upper SC and the Charlotte, NC area, descend.

Also, many of the Piggs that live in Alabama, descended from Johnny’s sons, George Tillman Pigg, James Minton Pigg, and Erasmus Pigg, who all left SC for Alabama in the mid 1800’s.