Saxin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the Saxin surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in Saxton, a parish, in the Upper division of the wapentake of Barkstone-Ash in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 This place-name was originally derived from the Old English Seaxe + tun, collectively meaning Saxon village. 2 The parish was recorded as Saxtun in the Doomsday Book of 1086. 3

Another source postulates the name could have originated in Cambridgeshire at Saxton Hall and/or Saxon Street. 4

The Sexton spelling denotes the office of " 'the sacristan,' now sexton or verger of a church. This, without doubt, has added to the modern directories. Although my instances are few, I suspect it is the parent of many of our Saxtons and Sextons." 5

"'Sexton', [was] originally 'the officer in a church in charge of the sacred vessels and vestments', not, as now, the grave-digger." 4

Early Origins of the Saxin family

The surname Saxin was first found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1208 where Jordan de Saxton was listed in Yorkshire and Simon de Sexton was recorded in Cambridgeshire. William Sextain was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327 and Peter Sexten was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls for 1273 includes an entry for Hugh Sacristan in Kent and the Close Rolls, 7 Edward IV (during the seventh year of King Edward IV's reign) list John Sexteyn. 5

Back in Yorkshire, we found Johannes de Saxton and Robertus de Saxton listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 5

Early History of the Saxin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Saxin research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1485, 1537, 1540, 1556, 1610, 1631, 1732, 1773, 1808, 1838 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Saxin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Saxin Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Saxin include Saxton, Saxon, Sefton, Sephton, Septon, Sexton and others.

Early Notables of the Saxin family

Distinguished members of the family include Nicholas Shaxton (1485?-1556), Bishop of Salisbury, born probably about 1485, a native of the diocese of Norwich. He may have been a younger brother of one Thomas Shaxton of Batheley (or Bale) in Norfolk who, according to one pedigree, died in April 1537. 6Christopher Saxton (c.1540-1610) of Dewsbury, Yorkshire was a...
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Saxin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Saxin family to Ireland

Some of the Saxin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 106 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Saxin migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Saxin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Anna Gertrude Saxin, who landed in New York, NY in 1710 7
Anna Maria Saxin, who arrived in New York, NY in 1710-1714 7

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)