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

Paige, 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 Paige surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paige in America

Paige is the 1789th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paige surname appeared 20,063 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Paige.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paige 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 Paige

The surname Paige has its roots in medieval England, originating from the Old French word "page," which referred to a young male attendant or servant to a person of rank or nobility. This name likely emerged during the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, as many French words and names were introduced into the English language.

In its earliest recorded instances, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Pag, Pagg, and Pagge, reflecting the evolving nature of surnames during that period. One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1198, where a person named William Page is mentioned.

As surnames became more widespread and hereditary in the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Paige began to appear in various records and documents across England. For instance, the Hundred Rolls of 1273 mention a John le Page in Oxfordshire, and the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327 include a reference to a William Payge.

Over time, the name Paige also developed associations with certain place names, particularly those derived from the Old English word "paeg," meaning a village or hamlet. Examples include Pagenhill in Sussex and Pagehurst in Kent, suggesting that some individuals may have adopted the surname based on their place of origin or residence.

Several notable individuals have borne the surname Paige throughout history. One of the earliest recorded figures was John Paige (c. 1560-1624), an English churchman and academic who served as the Regius Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge. Another prominent figure was Robert Paige (1619-1663), an English Puritan clergyman and author who emigrated to New England and became a minister in Boston.

In the realm of literature, Thomas Paige (1822-1898) was an American historian and genealogist, best known for his work on the history of Cambridge, Massachusetts. William Paige (1852-1936) was a British artist and illustrator, renowned for his paintings depicting scenes from rural England.

Closer to modern times, Satchel Paige (1906-1982) was an exceptional American baseball player in the Negro Leagues and later the Major Leagues, known for his longevity and pitching prowess. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971, a testament to his remarkable career.

While these are just a few examples, the surname Paige has a rich and diverse history, rooted in the medieval period and spanning various fields, from religion and academia to art and sports.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paige

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

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 Paige 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 Paige 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 Paige was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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