History of your Surname
Get access to Saxton family records.Start a free trial

Saxton Family History

Saxton Name Meaning

English: habitational name principally from Saxton (Yorkshire) but perhaps occasionally from the lost Saxton preserved in Saxon Street in Woodditton (Cambridgeshire). The Yorkshire placename probably derives from the Old Norse personal name Saxi (see Sax ) + Old English tūn ‘farmstead estate’ though the first element may alternatively be Old English Seaxe ‘the Saxons’ (in the stem-form Seax-) or perhaps Old English seax ‘stone rock’. The Cambridgeshire placename probably derives from Old English Seaxe (in the stem-form Seax-) + tūn.

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


Similar surnames: Laxton, Paxton, Salton, Maxton, Harton, Haxton, Dalton, Axton, Auton

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Saxton family from?

You can see how Saxton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Saxton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Saxton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 595 Saxton families living in Yorkshire. This was about 32% of all the recorded Saxton's in United Kingdom. Yorkshire had the highest population of Saxton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Saxton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Saxton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Colliery Hewer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Saxton. 11% of Saxton men worked as a Colliery Hewer and 75% of Saxton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Saxton were Bricklayer and Incapacitated. .

View Census Data for Saxton | 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

  • Colliery Hewer
    11%
  • General Labourer
    10%
  • Milk Roundsman
    4%
  • Bricklayer
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Saxton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 87,000 census records available for the last name Saxton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Saxton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Saxton

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Saxton. 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 Saxton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 14,000 military records available for the last name Saxton. For the veterans among your Saxton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Saxton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Saxton family history

Discover More

What is the average Saxton lifespan?

Between 1944 and 2004, in the United States, Saxton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Saxton in 1944 was 25, and 72 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Saxton

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Saxton family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Saxton last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial