Show ContentsExt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Ext family

The surname Ext was first found in Devon and or Cornwall. "It may also be of Cornish origin, for Tonkin derives Hexworthy, the name of a barton in Lanwhitton or Lawhitton, from hesk, hesken, a reed or bulrush; and Hext may be derived from a plural, perhaps heskydd." 1

"This surname is derived from a nickname. 'the highest'; Anglo-Saxon hext,' highest' " 2

In Somerset, Nicholas Exte and Walter Hexte were both listed there 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III) 3

Early History of the Ext family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ext research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1091, 1327, 1399, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1538, 1600, 1631, 1665 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Ext History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ext Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Ext has been recorded under many different variations, including Hexte, Hext, Heckst, Hekst, Exte, Ext, Eckst and others.

Early Notables of the Ext family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • John Exton (c. 1600-c.1665) was an English admiralty lawyer, educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge

Migration of the Ext family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Ext or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..



  1. Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.


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