Faxon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Faxon

What does the name Faxon mean?

The ancestry of the name Faxon dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family 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 Faxon family

The surname Faxon 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 Faxon family

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

Faxon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Faxon have been found, including Foxton, Foxtown, Foxtoun, Foxon and others.

Early Notables of the Faxon 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 Faxon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Faxon migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Faxon, or a variant listed above:

Faxon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Faxon, who landed in Braintree, Massachusetts in 1653 8
Rich Faxon, who landed in Virginia in 1662 8
Richard Faxon, who landed in Virginia in 1663 8

Faxon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Benheinich Faxon, who arrived in Georgia in 1735 8

Faxon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Faxon, who arrived in New York, NY in 1826 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Faxon (post 1700) +

Nat Faxon, American actor, comedian and Academy Award-winning screenwriter
Richard D. Faxon, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
William H. Faxon, American politician, U.S. Consul in Curaçao, 1874 9
William Faxon, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Hartford, Connecticut, 1881 9
Walter A. Faxon, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Warren County, 1861 9
Thomas J. Faxon, American politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives from Lenawee County, 1847 9
Leonard G. Faxon, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Cairo, Illinois, 1858-60 9
James Faxon, American politician, U.S. Consul in Curaçao, 1864-70 9
Jack Faxon (b. 1936), American Democratic Party politician, Member of Michigan State House of Representatives 15th District, 1965-70; Member of Michigan State Senate, 1971-94 (7th District 1971-82, 15th District 1983-94) 9
George Faxon, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Illinois, 1936 9
... (Another 4 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, March 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html