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

Payton, 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 Payton surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Payton in America

Payton is the 1515th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Payton surname appeared 23,670 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 8 people would have the surname Payton.

We can also compare 2010 data for Payton 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 Payton

The surname Payton originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name "Pæga," which means "dweller by the pea-fields." The name was initially found in areas around Staffordshire and Worcestershire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Peituna" and "Peitone." This ancient document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, recorded the landholdings and population of England at the time.

In the 13th century, the name was often spelled "Peiton" or "Peyton," reflecting the evolution of the English language over time. During this period, the surname Payton was also associated with various place names, such as Peyton in Suffolk and Peytonville in Staffordshire.

Notable bearers of the name Payton throughout history include Sir John Peyton (1544-1630), an English politician and landowner who served as Lieutenant of the Tower of London under Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent figure was Sir Edward Payton (1588-1667), a military commander who fought in the English Civil War on the Royalist side.

In the 18th century, John Payton (1703-1763) was a prominent English lawyer and Chief Justice of the British colony of St. Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. His contemporary, Joseph Payton (1720-1784), was a British naval captain who participated in several battles during the American Revolutionary War.

Moving into the 19th century, the name gained further recognition with the birth of Thomas Payton (1818-1890), a renowned English architect known for his work on churches and public buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Throughout its history, the surname Payton has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including politicians, military leaders, lawyers, architects, and countless others who have contributed to the rich tapestry of human civilization.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Payton

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

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

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

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