Baxster History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The name is derived from the Old English "boecestre" which was a feminine form of the word "baker." 1 2 3 4

Early Origins of the Baxster family

The surname Baxster was first found in Devon where a Liueger se Bacestere was listed as an Old English Byname in 1093. Other early records include a Hannah Bakestre in the Chester Assize Rolls of 1260, and a William le Baxtere in the Suffolk Feet of Fines for 1333. 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two entries for the family with early spellings: Giliana le Bacster, Huntingdonshire; and John le Bakestere, Norfolk. Other early rolls proved the widespread use of the family's name: Writs of Parliament - Elias le Baxtere, 1302; Calendarium Inquisitionum Post Mortem - Bartholomew le Bakestere; Calendarium Rotulorum Originalium - Andrew le Bakester. The latter two entries showed the 'occupational' use of the name as in Bartholomew le Bakestere (Bartholomew the Baker.)

Later in Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls included Agnes Bakester and Cecilia Bakester, vidua. 6

Early History of the Baxster family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baxster research. Another 43 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1615, 1650, 1691, 1723, 1732, 1781, 1782, 1784, 1810, 1813, 1821, 1827, 1854, 1858, 1871, 1875, 1877 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Baxster History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baxster 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 Baxster include Baxter, Bakster, Baxster, Baxstair, Baxstare and others.

Early Notables of the Baxster family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Baxter (1615-1691) English author and Puritan, the son of Richard Baxter, of Eaton-Constantine, near Shrewsbury, in Shropshire. His brother William Baxter (1650-1723), was a scholar, born in 1650 at Lanhigan in Shropshire. When he proceeded to Harrow at the very late age of eighteen, he could neither read nor understand one word of any language but Welsh. 7Thomas Baxter (1782-1821), the English China painter, of whom an account is given in 'A Century of Potting in the City of Worcester,' by R. W. Binns, 1877, was born in Worcester on 18 Feb. 1782. His...
Another 197 words (14 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Baxster Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Baxster family to Ireland

Some of the Baxster family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Baxster family

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: Daniel Baxter, who settled in New England in 1638; Eleanor Baxter, who arrived in Virginia in 1642; Barnaby Baxter, who settled in Maryland in 1774; and Henry Baxter, a bonded passenger who arrived in Maryland in 1744..

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Sims, Clifford Stanley The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames. 1862. Print.
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
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