Saxby Family History

English:: nickname perhaps for someone quick to take offense and draw his sword or for an instructor in swordsmanship from Middle English sakespey ‘draw sword’ (Old French sacquespee from sacque(r) ‘to draw extract’ + espee ‘sword’).

Habitational name from either of two places called Saxby (Leicestershire Lincolnshire). The Lincolnshire placename derives from the Old Norse personal name Saxi (see Sax) + Old Norse bȳ ‘farmstead village’.

While the Leicestershire placename may arise from Old English Seaxe ‘the Saxons’ (genitive plural Seaxna) + Old Norse bȳ or may have the same etymology as the Lincolnshire placename.