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

Payette, 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 Payette surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Payette in America

Payette is the 20852nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Payette surname appeared 1,265 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 Payette.

We can also compare 2010 data for Payette 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 Payette

The surname Payette finds its origins in France, tracing back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "paiete," which referred to a small pathway or footpath. This linguistic root suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived near or along such paths.

During the Middle Ages, the Payette surname appeared in various historical records and documents across northern and central France. One notable early mention can be found in the cartulary of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés in Paris, dated 1187, which lists a certain Guillelmus de Paieta as a witness to a land transaction.

The earliest recorded bearer of the Payette name was Jean Payette, born around 1320 in the village of Vieux-Condé, near the town of Valenciennes in northern France. He was a farmer and landowner, as documented in the local parish records.

In the 16th century, the Payette family established roots in the region of Normandy, particularly in the area around the town of Avranches. Notable individuals from this time include Jacques Payette (1525-1592), a prosperous merchant and burgess of Avranches, and his son, Robert Payette (1560-1628), who served as a magistrate and held influential positions in the local government.

The Payette name also has a connection to the settlement of New France (now Canada) in the 17th century. One of the earliest settlers bearing this surname was Pierre Payette, who arrived in Quebec City in 1634 from the village of Saint-Aubin-d'Écrosville in Normandy. He went on to become a successful farmer and landowner in the region of Beaupré, establishing a lineage that continues to this day.

Other notable individuals with the Payette surname include:

1. François Payette (1692-1768), a French-Canadian fur trader and explorer who was instrumental in establishing trade routes in the Great Lakes region.
2. Marie-Anne Payette (1736-1801), a renowned herbalist and midwife in the colony of New France, known for her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants.
3. Jacques-Philippe Payette (1792-1876), a prominent Quebec lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada.
4. André Payette (1916-2002), a Canadian artist and sculptor whose works are featured in numerous public spaces and museums throughout Quebec.
5. Julie Payette (born 1963), a former Canadian astronaut and engineer who became the 29th Governor General of Canada in 2017.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Payette

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

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

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

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