Exte History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Exte family

The surname Exte 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 Exte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Exte 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 Exte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Exte Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Exte include Hexte, Hext, Heckst, Hekst, Exte, Ext, Eckst and others.

Early Notables of the Exte family

Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Exte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Exte family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Exte 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..

Citations +

Charnock, Richard, Stephen, Ludus Patronymicus of The Etymology of Curious Surnames. London: Trubner & Co., 60 Paternoster Row, 1868. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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.