The Norse word "BY" meant a township or farm and was usually appended to the name of the holder of the lands, in this case a man called Hakr.

Charles I divested himself of the forest in 1629 and the village acquired the land to increase its size, resulting in the parish of some 2,100 acres (8.5 km2) of today.

[4] Much of the current town centre is 18th and early 19th century architecture but significant redevelopment took place in Victorian times of which the Memorial Hall (formerly the Board School), now housing a local community radio station Vale Radio,[5] the present St Mary's Church and the Methodist Chapel are all important buildings.

The Town Council is responsible[9] for maintenance of the Village Green along both sides of The Village, including Wyre Pond (Haxby Duck Pond), maintaining Ethel Ward Memorial Playing Fields and Mancroft Recreational Open Space (including the Ethel Ward Pavilion and children's play areas/equipment), and community assets such as bus shelters, benches, and noticeboards.

Historically, Haxby Town Councillors have been elected unopposed or co-opted due to there being an equal or lower number of candidates to seats.

However, a casual vacancy to Haxby North Ward arose on the Town Council in late 2021 due to a resignation; and a contested by-election was held in November 2021.

[15] According to the 2021–22 Q2 Haxby and Wigginton Ward Profile: The town sits on flat ground consisting mostly of clay with soil that is sand and alluvium, near the old Forest of Galtres.

[16] The nearby village of Wigginton now merges with Haxby though the old Parish Boundary map still shows the dividing line.

This runs east to west along the back of the houses on Wheatfield Lane on its southern edge as far as Barley View.

These bus services are: 1: Wigginton to Chapelfields via York City Centre 13: Haxby (West Nooks) to Copmanthorpe via York City Centre 14: Haxby (West Nooks) to Foxwood via York City Centre 20: Rawcliffe to Monks Cross then Heworth & Osbaldwick (via Haxby and Wigginton) In December 2023 a consultation was announced by City of York Council on a proposed bus network review, which included changes to the number 1, 13, and 14 services, including a reduction of services and frequencies to Station Road, Towthorpe Road and West Nooks.

In 2020, the City of York Council spent circa £50 thousand to put together a business case and bid for the Government's New Stations Fund (Round 3),[18] which received cross-party support and the full backing of the rail industry and transport campaigners.

[19] An online consultation and survey was conducted during the Covid pandemic first lockdown to include local residents views within the bid.

[20] The bid was successful and City of York Council was awarded a further £400 thousand by the Department for Transport to work with Network Rail to progress the new station proposals to detailed design stage and undertake the necessary operational feasibility studies.

[22] Since the 2020 funding award, in late September 2021, City of York Council agreed to purchase some land at a cost of circa £300 thousand adjacent to the railway in Haxby which could be used as a site for the new station,[23] with two potential station sites identified and aspirations for a half-hourly train service.

[29] Library and Community Centre Oaken Grove Primary School (formerly Usher Lane Annex) was closed in the 2002 and part of the site became Reid Park.

In January 2023, the new Haxby and Wigginton Library[30] re-opened at the Oaken Grove Community Centre, following a £1.2 million refurbishment.

[37] St Mary's Church, Haxby was rebuilt in 1878 on the site of the former 16th century building with Parish Registers dating back to 1678 and is located on the road known as the Village near the centre of the town.

As of 2010 only the Wesleyan Chapel remains as home to Haxby & Wigginton Methodist Church on the road known as the Village opposite Sandy Lane.