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

Payan, 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 Payan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Payan in America

Payan is the 5403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Payan surname appeared 6,443 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Payan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Payan 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 Payan

The surname Payan originated in France, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Old French word "paien," which means "pagan" or "non-Christian." This suggests that the name may have initially been used to refer to someone who was not of the Christian faith or was perceived as such.

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Jean Payan, a French Protestant who lived in the late 16th century. He was a member of the Huguenot community, which faced persecution in Catholic France during that time period. Records indicate that Jean Payan was forced to flee his home in Provence due to religious persecution.

In the 17th century, the name Payan appeared in the records of the French Protestant Church in London, indicating that some bearers of the name had sought refuge in England from religious persecution in France. One such individual was Pierre Payan, who was born in Marseille in 1632 and later settled in London.

The Payan name can also be found in historical records from the French region of Languedoc, particularly in the area around the city of Montpellier. One notable bearer of the name from this region was Jacques Payan, a 17th-century Protestant minister who was active in the Cévennes region during the French Wars of Religion.

In the 18th century, the name Payan appeared in the records of the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti). One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name in this region was Jean-Baptiste Payan, a plantation owner who was born in Marseille in 1725 and later settled in Saint-Domingue.

Another notable figure with the surname Payan was Pierre Payan, a French revolutionary who lived during the late 18th century. He was a member of the Jacobin Club and played a role in the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution. Pierre Payan was born in Marseille in 1766 and was executed by guillotine in 1794.

Other historical figures with the surname Payan include:

• Juan Payan (1590-1670), a Spanish poet and playwright from Seville.
• Francisco Payan (1711-1789), a Spanish painter known for his religious works.
• Emilio Payan (1855-1928), a Mexican politician and diplomat who served as Governor of Puebla.
• Margarita Payan (1901-1985), a Colombian writer and poet known for her works exploring themes of feminism and social justice.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Payan

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

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

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

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