Baxter
/ˈbæk.stər/noun
An English surname historically meaning a baker.
Did you know?Baxter is an old English occupational surname from a feminine-form word for “baker,” showing how medieval English preserved gendered job titles in family names.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
bæcestre
“A female baker.”
Middle English
ME
bakstere
“A baker, especially in northern and midland dialects.”
13th-14th Century
English
Baxter
“An occupational surname meaning baker.”
Modern English
English
Baxter
“A surname, and occasionally a given name.”