2000
#111,740
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 146
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Payea
An occupational surname for a peasant farmer or agricultural worker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Payea. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Payea surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Payea in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Payea, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.8%) and Hispanic (6.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Payea
The surname Payea is believed to have originated in France during the medieval period, with roots tracing back to the 11th or 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old French word "payee," which means "peasant" or "villager." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name were likely humble farming folk or residents of rural villages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Payea can be found in the historic Livre des Métiers, a medieval trade guild registry compiled in Paris in the 13th century. The document lists a certain Jean Payea, a member of the weavers' guild, indicating that the name was already established in the city at that time.
During the 14th century, the Payea name appears to have spread to other regions of France, as evidenced by records from various villages and towns. For example, in 1387, a Jean Payea is mentioned in the parish records of the village of Sarlat, located in the Dordogne region of southwestern France.
As the centuries passed, the name Payea underwent some variations in spelling, likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies of record-keeping in those times. Forms such as Paye, Paiee, and Payée can be found in various historical documents from different parts of France.
One notable bearer of the Payea surname was Pierre Payea, a French writer and philosopher who lived during the late 16th century (c. 1560-1635). His published works, including several treatises on philosophy and ethics, helped to establish his reputation as a respected intellectual of his era.
Another individual of note was Jacques Payea (1675-1741), a French architect and builder who was responsible for the design and construction of several notable churches and public buildings in the city of Lyon during the early 18th century.
In the late 18th century, a military officer named François Payea (1755-1832) gained recognition for his service during the French Revolutionary Wars, ultimately rising to the rank of general in Napoleon's Grand Armée.
The Payea surname also found its way to other parts of Europe, as evidenced by the birth of Hans Payea in the German city of Hamburg in 1802. Hans Payea went on to become a prominent merchant and banker, contributing to the city's thriving trade and commerce during the 19th century.
Another notable figure was Marie Payea (1845-1918), a French educator and advocate for women's rights. Born in the town of Arles, she dedicated her life to promoting educational opportunities for girls and fighting for gender equality in France during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
While the Payea surname may not be among the most common in modern times, its rich history and deep roots in French heritage are undeniable. From humble peasant origins to notable figures in various fields, the name has left an indelible mark on the cultural tapestry of France and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Payea
Among Census respondents with the surname Payea, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.8%) and Hispanic (6.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Payea bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Payea surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.5% · 98
- Two or more races7.8% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino6.9% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Payea
Payea appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
-21 bearers (-14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,972 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-9 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,316 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #111,740 | 146 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | -21 bearers (-14.4%) | Down 22,972 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 10,316 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Payea surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #134,712 | #145,028 | -7.7% |
| Count | 125 | 116 | -7.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Payea bearers went from 125 to 116 (-7.2% change). The surname moved down 10,316 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #145,028.
FAQ
Payea surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Payea?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Payea. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Payea?
Payea ranks #145,028 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 116 people with the surname Payea. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Payea.
Has Payea become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Payea went from 125 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Payea?
Among Census respondents with the surname Payea, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.8%) and Hispanic (6.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Payea in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.5% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Payea appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.5%), Two or More Races (7.8%), Hispanic (6.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Payea (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Payea mean?
An occupational surname for a peasant farmer or agricultural worker. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Payea (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Payea?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.