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Sexton Family History

Sexton Surname Meaning

English: occupational name for a sexton or churchwarden from Middle English sextein(e) ‘sexton’ (Old French secrestein medieval Latin sacristanus). The sexton was originally the officer of a church in charge of the sacred vessels and vestments but later came to denote one who looked after the churchyard and dug graves.

English: in northern England a variant of Saxton. English: possibly a habitational name from Sexton in Ermington (Devon) recorded as Shecoteston in 1329. The placename derives from the family of Richard Sheccoc recorded at Sexton in 1199 + Middle English toun ‘farmstead, village, settlement’.

The origin of Richard Sheccoc's name is uncertain due to confusion between c and t, as seen in the name of one of his descendants, Richard Scheccote, recorded at Sexton in 133.

Irish: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Seastnáin ‘descendant of Seastnán, Seasnán’, a personal name meaning ‘bodyguard’ from seasuighim ‘to resist, to defend’.

The English surname was also established in Ireland, where the rare surname McAtackney may represent a part-translation of ‘son of the Sexton’ into Irish.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Sexton family from?

You can see how Sexton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sexton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sexton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 667 Sexton families living in London. This was about 26% of all the recorded Sexton's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Sexton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sexton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Sexton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Sexton. 11% of Sexton men worked as a General Labourer and 70% of Sexton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sexton were Bricklayer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Sexton | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    11%
  • Gardener
    6%
  • Builders Labourer
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    70%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Housewife
    2%

What Sexton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 207,000 census records available for the last name Sexton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sexton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Sexton

Passenger Lists

There are 18,000 immigration records available for the last name Sexton. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Sexton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 34,000 military records available for the last name Sexton. For the veterans among your Sexton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Sexton family history

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What is the average Sexton lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Sexton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Sexton in 1942 was 43, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sexton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sexton ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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