Find out how popular the last name Pagan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Pagan.

Pagan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Pagan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pagan in America

Pagan is the 1528th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pagan surname appeared 23,474 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Pagan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Pagan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Pagan

The surname Pagan originated in the British Isles, specifically in England and Scotland, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Latin word "paganus," which means "villager" or "rustic." The name was likely given to someone who lived in a rural or village area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Pagan can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name was spelled "Paganell" at the time.

In the 12th century, a prominent Norman family in England bore the name Pagan or Paynell. William Pagan, who lived around 1150, was a landowner and nobleman in Lincolnshire. Another notable figure was Ralph Pagan, a Scottish cleric who served as the Bishop of Aberdeen from 1256 to 1281.

During the 13th century, the surname Pagan was also found in various records in Scotland. One example is Walter Pagan, who was a witness to a charter granted by Alexander III, King of Scotland, in 1262.

In the 14th century, a place called Pagan's Hall existed in Norfolk, England, which may have been named after someone with the surname Pagan. John Pagan, a Scottish scholar and philosopher, lived from around 1360 to 1430 and was known for his work on logic and metaphysics.

In the 16th century, a prominent family with the surname Pagan resided in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. One member, Thomas Pagan (1545-1626), was a wealthy merchant and benefactor who helped establish a grammar school in the town.

Other notable individuals with the surname Pagan throughout history include Robert Pagan (1610-1664), an English mathematician and astronomer; Blaise François Pagan (1604-1665), a French philosopher and historian; and James Pagan (1811-1870), a Scottish landscape painter known for his depictions of the Scottish Highlands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pagan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Pagan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Pagan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Pagan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Pagan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Pagan, please contact us.

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