Sexton
An occupational surname meaning “church sexton” or sacristan, the official who cared for a church’s sacred space and goods.
The #804 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 7,158 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Sexton is an occupational surname from the medieval church office of sexton, also called a sacristan or verger. The word came into English through Anglo-French forms related to Old French sacristain, ultimately from Latin sacrista, meaning a keeper of sacred things, from sacer, “sacred.” Historical spelling varied widely, and forms such as Sextone and Saxton were used alongside Sexton.
History
The surname appears in medieval and later records as a name for someone who held, or was associated with, the church office of sexton. 19th-century surname writers also noted that Sexton may sometimes be a spelling development from Saxton, since the two were often confused in records and directories. The name is well established in Britain and Ireland and later became common in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older writers often grouped Sexton with church-service surnames such as Beadle, Chanter, and Nun, reflecting the many names that grew out of medieval parish life.
From the historical record
“SEXTON \ (A.-Fr.-Lat.) Sacristan [M.E. SEXTONE I se;rteiM, sexteyn, A.-Ft. secresiein (Fr. sacristain) : v. under Secretan and Saxton'] Upon my feith, thou art som officer, Som worthy sexteyn, or som celerer. — Chaucer, Cant. Tales, B 3126.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)Notable people named Sexton
- Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.