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![Show Contents]() Caxtone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The name Caxtone arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Caxtone 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 Caxtone familyThe surname Caxtone 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 Caxtone familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Caxtone 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 Caxtone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Caxtone Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Caxton, Caxtone, Cackston, Cackstone, Cacstone, Caxten, Caxtan and many more. Early Notables of the Caxtone familyOutstanding 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 Caxtone Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Caxtone familyMany English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Caxtone or a variant listed above: Bryan Caxton, who settled in Maryland in 1678.
- 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)
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