Sexston History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancient roots of the Sexston family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Sexston comes from when the family lived 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 Sexston familyThe surname Sexston 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 Sexston familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sexston 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 Sexston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Sexston Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Sexston has appeared include Saxton, Saxon, Sefton, Sephton, Septon, Sexton and others. Early Notables of the Sexston 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... Migration of the Sexston family to IrelandSome of the Sexston family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Sexston arrived in North America very early: Sexston Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
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