Caxtonne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Caxtonne is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Caxtonne family lived in Cambridgeshire, at Caxton, a market-town and parish, in the union of Caxton and Arrington, hundred of Longstow. "This place, which is one of the oldest post-towns in the county, is situated on the Roman Ermin-street: the buildings are in general irregular and of mean appearance, consisting principally of poor cottages and decayed inns, though there are a few good houses. It has been stated, also, that Caxton, who introduced the art of printing into England, was born in the parish; but his own memoirs refer his birth and education to the county of Kent." 1

Interestingly, the parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, when it was first listed as Causton(e.) 2 And in more recent times, Causton is the fictional site for much of the crime-novel series by author Caroline Graham entitled 'Midsomer Murders.'

Early Origins of the Caxtonne family

The surname Caxtonne was first found in Cambridgeshire at Caxton, a market-town and parish, in the union of Caxton and Arrington, hundred of Longstow. "This place, which is one of the oldest post-towns in the county, is situated on the Roman Ermin-street: the buildings are in general irregular and of mean appearance, consisting principally of poor cottages and decayed inns, though there are a few good houses. It has been stated, also, that Caxton, who introduced the art of printing into England, was born in the parish; but his own memoirs refer his birth and education to the county of Kent." 1

The Manor of Caustone was held by Hardwin of Scales in 1086, from whom the Caxtons are conjecturally descended. 2 The village of Causton, or Caxton, is on Roman Ermine Street and was once a coaching village.

Early History of the Caxtonne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Caxtonne research. Another 232 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1273, 1335, 1354, 1400, 1422, 1474, 1478, 1491, 1500 and 1880 are included under the topic Early Caxtonne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Caxtonne Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Caxton, Caxtone, Cackston, Cackstone, Cacstone, Caxten, Caxtan and many more.

Early Notables of the Caxtonne family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Caxton (1422-1491), the first English printer and first to introduce a printing press into England. Copies of his Canterbury Tales by Chaucer is kept in the British Library and the text is viewable online. He "was born, he himself states, ‘in Kent in the Weeld’. The name was usually pronounced Cauxton, and often written Causton, and Kentish antiquaries connect Caxton's family with the Caustons or Caxtons who held a manor of the same name near Hadlow in the Weald of Kent in the thirteenth century. Before the fifteenth century the manor had...
Another 150 words (11 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Caxtonne Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Caxtonne family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Caxtonne or a variant listed above: Bryan Caxton, who settled in Maryland in 1678.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)