Meaning and origin
The last name Sexton has its origins in medieval England and Scotland, deriving from the Old English word "sexteon", meaning "a sexton" or "a church officer". Sextons were responsible for the maintenance of the church and its grounds, as well as the ringing of the bells. As surnames started to evolve, Sexton became a common occupational surname for individuals fulfilling these roles, eventually passing down through generations.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#804
Sexton was the 804th most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 43,133 people, about 15 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Surnames like Sexton
Names it is linked with, then names with the same origin and a similar standing.
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Sexton is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.