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

Paya, 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 Paya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Paya in America

Paya is the 95955th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Paya surname appeared 190 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Paya.

We can also compare 2010 data for Paya 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 Paya

The surname PAYA originated in Spain, likely during the medieval period. It is believed to derive from the Spanish verb "pagar," meaning "to pay" or "to satisfy." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who collected payments or taxes, or someone who paid a debt or fulfilled an obligation.

The earliest known records of the PAYA surname date back to the 13th century in the region of Aragon, located in northeastern Spain. One of the earliest documented instances is found in a land registry from 1276, which mentions a certain Pedro PAYA as a landowner in the town of Zaragoza.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various historical documents from the Kingdom of Valencia, such as municipal records and legal contracts. One notable mention is in the "Llibre de Repartiment," a manuscript detailing the distribution of land and properties after the Christian reconquest of Valencia in 1238. Here, a Guillem PAYA is listed as a recipient of a plot of land in the town of Benaguacil.

During the 15th century, the PAYA surname gained prominence in the region of Catalonia, particularly in the city of Barcelona. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Jaume PAYA, a merchant and trader who lived in Barcelona in the late 1400s. He is mentioned in several business transactions and trade agreements from that period.

Another notable figure from the 16th century was Francesc PAYA, a renowned architect and stonemason from Valencia. He is credited with designing and overseeing the construction of several notable buildings, including the Church of Santo Tomás in Valencia, completed in 1572.

In the 17th century, the PAYA surname spread beyond Spain to other parts of Europe and the Americas. One prominent individual was Pedro PAYA, a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied the expedition of Álvaro de Mendaña in 1595, which led to the discovery of the Marquesas Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Throughout its history, the PAYA surname has been associated with various locations and place names, such as Payá (a municipality in Alicante, Spain), Payahupu (a village in Peru), and Payachic (a town in Mexico). Additionally, variations in spelling, such as Paia, Paya, and Payá, have been documented in different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Paya

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

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

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

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