Surname Claxton - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'C'
Claxton: What does the surname Claxton mean?
The surname Claxton is of English origin and is considered a locational surname. It is derived from several places in England sharing the same name, such as Claxton in Norfolk and Claxton in North Yorkshire. The name 'Claxton' itself is thought to mean 'town on the clay', indicating a town or settlement with significant amounts of clay in the soil. The name was first recorded in the late 12th century. It's common for these types of surnames to be given to individuals after they moved from their original hometown, serving as an identifier to differentiate them from others with the same first name. Over generations, the name became hereditary and continues to be used today.
Order DNA origin analysisClaxton: Where does the name Claxton come from?
The surname Claxton is of English origin. It is a locational name derived from any one of the places named Claxton in Norfolk and County Durham or from Claughton in Lancashire, North Yorkshire, and the Wirral Peninsula. These place names mean "farmstead where clover grows" or "hill-farm" in Old English.
In the modern era, it is most commonly found in England and some English-speaking countries such as the United States, Australia, and Canada. According to Forebears, a surname database, the Claxton surname is most prevalent in the United States, followed by England. It ranks as the 5,190th most common surname in the world. The highest proportion of people with this surname, compared to the country's total population, is found in Belize. These statistics may be influenced by factors like migration and diaspora.
Variations of the surname Claxton
The surname Claxton is of English origin and is a locational name derived from any of the various places in England, especially in Norfolk and County Durham, named Claxton, or from Claughton in Lancashire and North Yorkshire. The name in Old English means "farmstead or settlement on clay." Variations and different spellings of Claxton may include: Claxstone, Claxon, Clakston, Clackston, Claxtun, Claxtoun, and Claxthin. There may also be phonetic variations based on regional accents and dialects. Being a locational name, it might have been assigned to people who migrated from Claxton or its variant locations, making it hard to trace a single family lineage. There might be other surnames that originated from the same root places. Locational surnames are also often subjected to changes as they are often provided by the residents of the place and might get corrupted over time due to linguistic changes and evolution. It's worth noting that the exact spelling can also vary considerably based on handwriting in historical records.
Famous people with the name Claxton
- Paul Claxton: An American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.
- William Claxton: A celebrated photographer, known particularly for his photographs of jazz musicians.
- Vernon Claxton: An English cricketer who played for Warwickshire.
- Maeve Claxton: An English actress known for her role on the soap opera EastEnders.
- Speedy Claxton: An American retired professional basketball player.
- Carla Claxton: A British actress who has appeared in a number of UK television series.
- Richard Claxton: The real name of widely recognized actor and comedian, Dick Gregory.
- Hubert Adolphous Claxton: A Major General in the Canadian Army.
- Eleanor J. Claxton: An American mathematician and educator.
- Craig Claxton: An Australian former professional rugby league footballer.
- Hardy Claxton: An American former professional basketball player who competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
- Clarkston Claxton: An American artist known for his whimsical illustrations and paintings.