General Notes

(from the introduction to the 1945 AXTELL GENEALOGY compiled by Carson A. Axtell)
The name Axtell is unquestionably of Anglo-Saxon origin. The earliest
records appear in English history and are found in London, Somerset, and
Hertford Counties under various forms of spelling: Axail, Axell, Axtil,
Axtill, Axtel, Axstell, Akstyl, Akstyle, Axstyl, Ackstyl, Ackstell,
Extell, Extil, Extill, and Axtell, the last form the most generally
accepted in America, with the accent on the first syllable.

Much of the early English history of the Axtell family came from
Hertford, a small county lying west of Essex and north of Middlesex
county, some twenty miles from London.

In 1534, Henry the VIII, King of England, having disagreed with the Pope
of Rome on the divorce question, with the consent of Parliament set up
an independent church of which he became head. Soon after he suppressed
many of the smaller monasteries of the country. At Gatesdon, in the
northwest part of the country, there was a small colony of the Augustine
order, "a priori of twenty good men (Bon hommes)". This fell to the
King. Clutterbuck, the historian of Hertfordshire, printed the
instrument, in Latin, by which the Monks acknowledged King Henry's
authority in all religious matters and signed over all their property to
His Majesty. The thirteenth name on the document was that of Johannes
Akstyl, probably the first mention of the name of Axtell in history.

In the year of 1538, King Henry VIII of England decreed that all births,
marriages and deaths should be recorded in the records of the Church.
The following entries are found in the records of St. Peter's Church,
Berkhamstead:
     John, sonne of John Axtell, christened 1539.
     William, sonne of John Axtell, christened 1541.
     John Axtell, christened 1560.
     Ann Axtell, christened 1565.
     John, sonne of Robert Axtell, chr. 1584.
     Sussanne, daughter of William, chr. 1599.
     John, chr. Aug. 14, 1614.
     William, chr. Dec. 1, 1616.
     Thomas, chr. Jan. 26, 1619.
     Daniel, (reg.) chr. May 26, 1622, sonn of William.
     William, chr. June 11, 1622, ye sonn of William.
     Thomas, chr. Oct. 31, 1624, ye sonn of William.
     Samuel, chr. Dec. 15, 1624.
     Sarah, chr. June 20, 1628, dau. of William.
     Alice, chr. Mar. 27, 1637, dau. of William.
     Elizabeth, dau. of John, chr. Mar. 7, 1640.
     Ann, dau. of William, chr. June 6, 1641.
     John, son of William, chr. Sept. 6, 1670.
     William, son of William, chr. Sept. 17, 1674.
     Mary, dau. of William, chr. Nov. 15, 1686.
     John, son of William, chr. Dec. 26, 1700.
     Mary, dau. of William, chr. Jan. 9, 1703-4.
     Ann, dau. of William, chr. Jan. 26, 1707
     Elizabeth, dau. of Samuel, chr. Apr. 8, 1734.


The Axtell Coat of Arms probably originated with Col. Daniel Axtell
about 1648 or 1650. Burke's "General Armory," 1884, gives the
description as follows: "Azure, three axes argent, handles or", a blue
shield on which are three silver axes with handles of gold and heads
uppermost, blades to the left. The Crest consists of  two axes with
handles crossed, blades uppermost; a green wreath lies on the handles
where they cross, and beneath is a bar of blue and silver on which the
handles rest. Below the bar is a scroll on which is "Sub cruce glorior"
(I glory in the Cross).