Croxen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Croxen is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in one of the settlements called Croxton in Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, or Staffordshire; in Croxton Kerrial or South Croxton in Leicestershire; or in Croxton Green in Cholmondeley, which is in the county of Cheshire. Six of the Croxton villages or parishes are listed in the Domesday Book of 1086, and were typically entered as Crochestone. The place name literally means "farmstead in a nook, or of a man called Krokr." 1

Early Origins of the Croxen family

The surname Croxen was first found in Cheshire, but there are parishes and hamlets in Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Leicestershire, and Staffordshire which explain why in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, we find such scattered listings throughout ancient Britain: Elena de Croxstone, Huntingdonshire; Sarra de Croxtone, Cambridgeshire; Abbas de Crokeston, or Croxton, Leicestershire; and Richard de Croxtone, Northumberland. 2

But Cheshire is the ancient homeland of the family as "there are places so called in various counties, but the eminent family of this name spring from the township of Croxton, co. Chester, their [family] seat in very early times." 3

It is generally thought that the family descend from the Lordship of Jocelyn or Godric, a Norman Baron recorded at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086. 4

Early History of the Croxen family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Croxen research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1603, 1650, 1651, 1654, 1659, 1663 and 1696 are included under the topic Early Croxen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Croxen Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Croxen are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Croxen include: Croxton, Crockston, Cruxton, Croxon and others.

Early Notables of the Croxen family

Distinguished members of the family include Thomas Croxton (1603?-1663?), English parliamentarian, son of George Croxton of Ravenscroft, Northwich hundred, Cheshire. "He was colonel in the parliamentary army in 1650; militia commissioner for Chester the same year; member of a court-martial for trial of certain misdemeanants of quality on 10 Sept. 1651, and was continued in the militia commission in March 1654-5. In 1659 he was in command of Chester Castle when Sir George Booth's rising took place. The rebels entered the town and called upon him to surrender. He is said to have replied ‘that as perfidiousness in him was detestable...
Another 122 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Croxen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Croxen family to Ireland

Some of the Croxen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Croxen family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Croxen or a variant listed above: John Croxton arrived on the Mayflower with his son, John; Randle Croxton settled Pennsylvania in 1682; Thomas and Walter Croxton settled in New Orleans in 1842..

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)