| ![Show Contents]() Saxon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of SaxonWhat does the name Saxon mean? The ancestors of the name Saxon date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in Saxton, a parish, in the Upper division of the wapentake of Barkstone-Ash in the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 This place-name was originally derived from the Old English Seaxe + tun, collectively meaning Saxon village. 2 The parish was recorded as Saxtun in the Doomsday Book of 1086. 3 Another source postulates the name could have originated in Cambridgeshire at Saxton Hall and/or Saxon Street. 4 The Sexton spelling denotes the office of " 'the sacristan,' now sexton or verger of a church. This, without doubt, has added to the modern directories. Although my instances are few, I suspect it is the parent of many of our Saxtons and Sextons." 5 "'Sexton', [was] originally 'the officer in a church in charge of the sacred vessels and vestments', not, as now, the grave-digger." 4 Early Origins of the Saxon familyThe surname Saxon was first found in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1208 where Jordan de Saxton was listed in Yorkshire and Simon de Sexton was recorded in Cambridgeshire. William Sextain was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1327 and Peter Sexten was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327. 4 The Hundredorum Rolls for 1273 includes an entry for Hugh Sacristan in Kent and the Close Rolls, 7 Edward IV (during the seventh year of King Edward IV's reign) list John Sexteyn. 5 Back in Yorkshire, we found Johannes de Saxton and Robertus de Saxton listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. 5 Early History of the Saxon familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Saxon research. Another 129 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1485, 1537, 1540, 1556, 1610, 1631, 1732, 1773, 1808, 1838 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Saxon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Saxon Spelling VariationsSaxon 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. Many variations of the name Saxon have been found, including Saxton, Saxon, Sefton, Sephton, Septon, Sexton and others. Early Notables of the Saxon familyDistinguished members of the family include Nicholas Shaxton (1485?-1556), Bishop of Salisbury, born probably about 1485, a native of the diocese of Norwich. He may have been a younger brother of one Thomas Shaxton of Batheley (or Bale) in Norfolk who, according to one pedigree, died in April 1537. 6Christopher Saxton (c.1540-1610) of Dewsbury, Yorkshire was a...
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Saxon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Saxon RankingIn the United States, the name Saxon is the 4,382nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 7 Migration of the Saxon family to IrelandSome of the Saxon family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 106 words (8 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Saxon migration to the United States | + |
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 Saxons to arrive on North American shores:
Saxon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Anne Saxon, who landed in Maryland in 1680 8
- John Saxon, who arrived in Maryland in 1680 8
Saxon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Samuel Saxon, who landed in New York, NY in 1754 8
| Saxon migration to Australia | + |
Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include: Saxon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century- Mr. George Saxon, (Robinson), English convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for life, transported aboard the "Blundell" on 13th March 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
- George Saxon, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Salacia" in 1850 10
| Contemporary Notables of the name Saxon (post 1700) | + |
- John Saxon (1936-2020), born Carmine Orrico, American Golden Globe Award winning actor, known for A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Enter the Dragon (1973) and From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
- Sky "Sunlight" Saxon (1937-2009), born Richard Elvern Marsh, an American rock and roll musician, leader and singer of the 1960s Los Angeles psychedelic garage rock band The Seeds
- Lyle Saxon (1891-1946), American writer, and journalist for The Times-Picayune
- Charles David Saxon (1920-1988), American cartoonist, awarded the National Cartoonist Society Advertising Award for 1977 and the Reuben Award for 1980 from The New Yorker
- James Joseph Saxon (1914-1980), American 21st Comptroller of the Currency for the United States Department of the Treasury (1961-1966)
- James Elijah Saxon (b. 1966), American football coach and former running back, current running backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers
- David S. Saxon (1920-2005), American physicist and educator
- Edward Bradley Saxon (b. 1956), American film producer
- Rolf Saxon (b. 1955), American actor
- James Saxon (1772-1819), English portrait painter
- ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Historic Events for the Saxon family | + |
- Mr. Leonard Saxon, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 11
- Mr. Leonard Saxon, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 11
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- 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)
- Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- 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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blundell
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) SALACIA 1850. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1850Salacia.gif
- HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
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