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

Paine, 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 Paine surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paine in America

Paine is the 4171st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paine surname appeared 8,501 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Paine.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paine 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 Paine

The surname Paine originated in England and is derived from the Old French word "peine", meaning pain or punishment. It is believed to have been an occupational name for a jailer or torturer. The name can be traced back to the 11th century, with records showing it as "Paine" and "Payne".

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Paine" in Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. This suggests that the name was already well-established in those regions by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name appeared in various forms, such as "Payn", "Payne", and "Paine". These variations were due to regional dialects and spelling inconsistencies at the time.

In the 13th century, a prominent family by the name of Paine held lands in Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire. The name is also found in medieval records from Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname was Sir Thomas Paine (c. 1350-1419), a Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire during the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV.

Another historical figure was Robert Paine (c. 1599-1658), a Puritan minister and one of the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in America. He was among the first settlers of Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Thomas Paine (1737-1809), the famous political philosopher, is arguably the most renowned bearer of the surname. He was born in England but is best known for his influential writings during the American Revolution, including "Common Sense" and "The Rights of Man".

Robert Treat Paine (1731-1814) was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a prominent lawyer in Massachusetts.

Charles C. Paine (1799-1853) was a notable architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings in Boston, including the Boston Athenaeum and the Massachusetts State House.

Throughout history, the Paine surname has been associated with various occupations, including clergymen, politicians, lawyers, and architects. Its origins as an occupational name reflect the diverse backgrounds and roles of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paine

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

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

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

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