The Origins of the Paxton Name

So, just as we've declared we're starting in the middle, we're going to jump back to an earlier middle, and investigate where William Paxton's surname came from.

First a note about the origins of surnames:  From 4crests.com:  Since the dawn of civilisation the need to communicate has been a prime drive of all higher mankind. The more organised the social structure became, the more urgent the need to name places, objects and situations essential to the survival and existence of the social unit. From this common stem arose the requirements to identify families, tribes and individual members evolving into a pattern in evidence today. In the formation of this history, common usage of customs, trades, locations, patronymic and generic terms were often adopted as surnames. The demands of bureaucracy formally introduced by feudal lords in the 11th century, to define the boundaries and families within their fiefdoms, crystallized the need for personal identification and accountability, and surnames became in general use from this time onwards.

Modern-day Berwick Castle

In 1903, a William M. Paxton published an extensive study into the origins of the Paxton name.  While not an authoritative source, and still needing some validation, it is a valuable resource.  He states:   The name Paxton is of Saxon origin.  Our ancestors as early as the sixth century, crossed from the continent, and settled in what is now Berwickshire, Scotland.  Referencing "A Distinguished English Herald", he states:  Berwickshire is a maritime county of Scotland, forming its southeast extremity, being separated from England by the Tweed.  It is chiefly noted for the renowned Berwick Castle, which sprung into importance, during the long struggle between the Scots and Saxons for its possession.  It was around, and in sight of, and under the protection of this case, that the Paxtons located their territorium as one of the original families that colonized England, after the departure of the Romans..  He also quotes the herald as follows:  The name Paxton is derived from a Saxon word meaning gardiner.  The laird, or head of the family, established himself in a territory in Berwickshire, Scotland.  The name of his land was, first, Pac-cingas-town, then Packingtown, then Packston, and since A.D. 1250, has been written Paxton.

The village of Paxton, Scotland.  The Tweed River is to the right.

Indeed, if we look at the "Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, Preserved in Her Majesty's Public Record Office", the edition covering the 50 years from 1307 to 1357, we find several entries in the early 1300's regarding land ownership of several residents of Paxton, referred to (using Roger as an example) as "Roger de Paxton", (Roger of Paxton) for example.

About that same time, the death of Margaret "Maid of Norway", the Queen of Scotland, left no clear successor to the Scottish throne, leaving it vacant for two years.  In 1291, King Edward I of England "volunteered" to help determine the legitimate heir.  He called a series of meeting with those claiming heir.  John balliol was chosen as the heir and crowned King of Scotland in 1292.  However, in 1295, he allied with Philip of France, and in 1296, Edward invaded Scotland and stripped Balliol of his power.  Edward called another series of meetings, or a "parliament" at Berwick.  All the prominent Scottish landowners, churchmen, and burgesses were summoned to swear allegiance to Edward and sign the parchments and affix their seals.  In these so-called "Ragman Rolls", we find listed two Counts from Paxton:  Nicol de Paxton, and Robert de Paxton.


From here, we next have evidence of Paxtons in Buckinghamshire in England, in the early 1500's.  The author of "We Are One" claims that the Paxtons were driven from their ancestral home in the Berwick, Scotland, area, and found refuge in Central England.  Whether all the Paxtons relocated, and whether the ancestors of our William Paxton were among them, is as of yet undetermined.

From the Paxtons in England, a group of Presbyterian believers fled to northern Ireland near the time of the British Restoration of the Monarchy, and the religious persecution that came with it under Charles II, in 1661.  Among these was a James Paxton.  Three of James' sons, William, Thomas, and Samuel, emigrated to America.  From this line come the Pennsylvania Paxtons, and the Revolutionary War heroes Caption John Paxton, Major William Paxton, and Colonel Thomas Paxton.

Another group of the Paxtons in England joined William Penn and the Quakers, and in 1682, emigrated to America.  Most of this group changed their name to Paxson, though a few kept the name Paxton.

It seems fairly certain that none of these groups are the specific Paxton line we are investigating, as our line reappears in the Berwick area in the early 1700's, and doesn't appear in America for a couple more generations.  We have previously identified a Paxton reappearing in the Berwick area from northern Scotland.   Perhaps our William's ancestors fled to northern Scotland at the same time that other Paxtons were fleeing south to central England, or to Ireland, only to reappear in Berwick, or perhaps there were even some Paxtons that remained in the area while others fled.

This is what we don't know.

This is what we need to find out.