Hi Micheal, I have Been researching my surname AXE and it comes from the county of somerset in England. There are 2 rivers that have the same name 1 rans into the Bristol channel and the other into the English channel so I think my surname comes from the river or the area near it. My father had a family sheild done which actual has the river Axe on it. I have been researching my name for 5 years and have got back to my great great grandfathers father of about 1851 in a little village called Odcombe in Somerset. On looking at the Census for the area of somerset there were a lot of Axes in different villages, i do know the name goes back to the 1600 at least? As people interest in researching the Axe name have sent me information on marriages/deaths quoting these dates.
Ps hope its of some use to you

Many Thank Geoff Axe.