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| Origins Available: |
| | England |
The surname Flax was first found in Huntingdonshire where in the year 1279 William Flexman held estates in that shire. A few years later, Richard le flexmongere was laos listed there in 1294. In Norfolk, Nicholas Flaxman was listed as holding lands there in 1332. 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Flax research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1205, 1327, 1332, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Flax History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Flax has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Flaxman, Flexman, Flashman, Flachman, Fleshman, Flesh and many more.
Distinguished members of the family include
In the United States, the name Flax is the 18,711st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Flaxs to arrive on North American shores: