Foxtowns History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Foxtowns is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in Foxton, a place-name found in several locations in England. There are Foxtons in Cambridgeshire, Durham and Leicestershire, where the name is derived from the Old English portion fox, which means fox, and tun, which meant farm or enclosure.

The name as a whole meant "farm where foxes are often seen." There is another Foxton, in Durham. The suffix has a different root, though. It was called Foxdene about 1170; it meant "valley where there are foxes," from the Old English word dene, which meant valley. Finally, there is a place called Foxdon; it meant "hill where there are foxes," the suffix is derived from the Old English word dun, which meant "hill." 1

Early Origins of the Foxtowns family

The surname Foxtowns was first found in Cambridgeshire at Foxton, a small village in South Cambridgeshire. 2 The village dates back to at least the Domesday Book where it was listed as Foxetune, land held by the Church of Chatteris, part of the Thriplow hundred. It was large enough to hold 8 ploughs with 16 villans (peasants), 11 borders with 6 ploughs 3

The place literally means "farmstead where foxes are seen." 4 Foxton is also a small village in Durham, and in Leicestershire. The Durham village dates back to about 1170 when it was listed as Foxedene, while the Leicestershire village is also listed in the Domesday Book as Foxtone. 5

However, we must look to Leicestershire to find the first records of the family. It was here that the Pipe Rolls of 1159 listed Simon de Foxtone as holding lands there at that time. Later, Robert de Foxton was found in Yorkshire in 1303 and John Foxton was listed in the Assize Rolls for London in 1382. 6

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included Richard A. Foxstune in Suffolk; and John de Foxton in Cambridgeshire. The Feet of Fines listed Simon de Foxton as rector of Middle Harling , Norfolk in 1308 and later, Thomas Foxtone as rector of Hintlesham, Norfolk in 1316. 7

Early History of the Foxtowns family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foxtowns research. Another 156 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1334, 1369, 1408, 1603, 1619, 1621 and 1648 are included under the topic Early Foxtowns History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foxtowns Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Foxtowns has been spelled many different ways, including Foxton, Foxtown, Foxtoun, Foxon and others.

Early Notables of the Foxtowns family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Foxton, an English Member of Parliament for Leicester in 1334. Richard Foxton (died 1648), was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1621. He was mayor of...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Foxtowns Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Foxtowns family

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Foxtownss to arrive in North America: William Foxon arrived in New England in 1758.

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)