NameCensus.

UK surname

Payne

A topographic surname derived from the Old French word "paien," meaning a pagan or one who lived near a pagan temple.

In the 1881 census there were 26,886 people recorded with the Payne surname, ranking it #119 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 38,537, ranked #130, down from #119 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Huntingdonshire, Waveney and Hinckley and Bosworth.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Payne is 41,513 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 43.3%.

1881 census count

26,886

Ranked #119

Modern count

38,537

2016, ranked #130

Peak year

1999

41,513 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Payne had 26,886 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #119 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 38,537 in 2016, ranked #130.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 39,312 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Payne surname distribution map

The map shows where the Payne surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Payne surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Payne over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 14,811 #148
1861 historical 15,720 #138
1881 historical 26,886 #119
1891 historical 29,749 #112
1901 historical 35,621 #116
1911 historical 39,312 #91
1997 modern 39,901 #114
1998 modern 41,290 #115
1999 modern 41,513 #117
2000 modern 41,164 #118
2001 modern 40,110 #118
2002 modern 40,562 #120
2003 modern 39,473 #120
2004 modern 39,200 #121
2005 modern 38,345 #122
2006 modern 38,217 #122
2007 modern 38,375 #123
2008 modern 38,623 #123
2009 modern 39,461 #124
2010 modern 40,023 #128
2011 modern 39,525 #128
2012 modern 38,532 #130
2013 modern 39,176 #130
2014 modern 39,305 #130
2015 modern 38,738 #130
2016 modern 38,537 #130

Geography

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Where Paynes are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Huntingdonshire, Waveney, Hinckley and Bosworth and North Norfolk. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Huntingdonshire 003 Huntingdonshire
2 Waveney 010 Waveney
3 Hinckley and Bosworth 011 Hinckley and Bosworth
4 Hinckley and Bosworth 006 Hinckley and Bosworth
5 North Norfolk 010 North Norfolk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Payne

These lists show first names that appear often with the Payne surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Payne

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Payne, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Payne surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Payne household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Payne is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Payne is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Payne falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Payne is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Payne, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Payne

The surname Payne is of English origin, derived from the Old French word "paine" which means bread or food. It is believed to have originated as an occupational surname for a baker or someone who provided bread or food.

The earliest recorded use of the surname Payne dates back to the 12th century in England. It appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a great survey of land ownership and taxation in England, commissioned by William the Conqueror.

In the 13th century, the name was often spelled as "Paine" or "Payn". It is thought that the surname may have been influenced by the Norman French word "pain" which also means bread.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Payne was Sir Thomas Payne, who lived in the 14th century and was a knight from Worcestershire, England. He served in the wars against France and Scotland.

Another notable historical figure with the surname Payne was Thomas Payne, a 16th century English printer and publisher. He is known for publishing works by notable authors such as Thomas More and John Skelton.

In the 17th century, Robert Payne, an English clergyman and scholar, gained recognition for his work as a translator and his writings on theology. He was born in 1619 and died in 1682.

During the 18th century, John Payne, an English poet and translator, made significant contributions to English literature. He was born in 1732 and is known for his translations of ancient Arabic and Persian literature.

In the 19th century, James Payne, an English architect, gained prominence for his work on various buildings in London, including the Reform Club and the travellers' club.

The surname Payne has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Payne's Park in Hertfordshire and Payne's Hill in Surrey.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Payne families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Payne surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 4,056 Paynes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.54x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 4,056 1.54x
Surrey 2,205 1.72x
Kent 1,647 1.84x
Warwickshire 1,343 2.03x
Sussex 1,147 2.59x
Hampshire 1,088 2.02x
Somerset 1,061 2.51x
Gloucestershire 983 1.91x
Staffordshire 874 0.98x
Yorkshire 851 0.33x
Leicestershire 838 2.87x
Lancashire 819 0.26x
Devon 708 1.29x
Northamptonshire 696 2.81x
Essex 678 1.31x
Norfolk 674 1.67x
Worcestershire 666 1.94x
Suffolk 534 1.67x
Wiltshire 483 2.08x
Bedfordshire 482 3.54x
Buckinghamshire 466 2.93x
Hertfordshire 407 2.25x
Oxfordshire 370 2.28x
Glamorgan 340 0.74x
Cambridgeshire 334 2.01x
Shropshire 327 1.44x
Berkshire 323 1.64x
Dorset 280 1.62x
Derbyshire 246 0.60x
Monmouthshire 221 1.16x
Durham 217 0.28x
Lincolnshire 212 0.50x
Cheshire 170 0.29x
Herefordshire 159 1.47x
Cornwall 148 0.50x
Nottinghamshire 136 0.38x
Huntingdonshire 93 1.78x
Northumberland 86 0.22x
Lanarkshire 58 0.07x
Channel Islands 57 0.73x
Royal Navy 48 1.53x
Cumberland 44 0.19x
Kirkcudbrightshire 41 1.08x
Pembrokeshire 41 0.49x
Midlothian 37 0.11x
Rutland 29 1.50x
Montgomeryshire 27 0.45x
Brecknockshire 24 0.46x
Caernarfonshire 21 0.20x
Dumfriesshire 21 0.36x
Fife 20 0.13x
Denbighshire 19 0.19x
Angus 17 0.07x
West Lothian 10 0.25x
Carmarthenshire 9 0.08x
Flintshire 9 0.13x
Renfrewshire 9 0.04x
Dunbartonshire 8 0.11x
Ayrshire 7 0.04x
Argyllshire 5 0.07x
Anglesey 4 0.09x
Berwickshire 3 0.09x
Caithness 2 0.06x
Clackmannanshire 2 0.09x
East Lothian 2 0.06x
Merionethshire 2 0.04x
Westmorland 2 0.03x
Cardiganshire 1 0.02x
Morayshire 1 0.02x
Perthshire 1 0.01x
Radnorshire 1 0.05x
Wigtownshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Islington London in Middlesex leads with 464 Paynes recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.82x.

Place Total Index
Islington London 464 1.82x
Birmingham 353 1.60x
Lambeth 352 1.54x
Camberwell 322 1.92x
St Pancras London 278 1.31x
Portsea 256 2.42x
St Marylebone London 248 1.77x
Hackney London 239 1.62x
Brighton 224 2.50x
Aston 205 1.12x
Shoreditch London 204 1.79x
Bethnal Green London 193 1.69x
Paddington London 165 1.71x
Hinckley 160 23.14x
Leicester St Margaret 160 2.25x
St George Hanover 160 4.66x
Chelsea London 158 1.99x
Croydon 151 2.12x
Kensington London 150 1.03x
Newington 148 1.52x
Bermondsey 147 1.88x
Southampton St Mary 147 4.34x
West Ham 141 1.23x
Battersea 139 1.44x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 135 2.78x
Clerkenwell London 133 2.14x
Deptford St Paul 126 1.82x
Mile End Old Town 126 3.04x
Greenwich 102 2.44x
Southwark St George Martyr 102 1.93x
East Grinstead 99 15.78x
Coventry Holy Trinity 97 4.90x
Kingswinford 96 2.98x
Worth 92 28.59x
Rowley Regis 91 3.68x
Bedminster 90 2.26x
Tonbridge 87 2.69x
Chatham 86 3.49x
Luton 85 3.61x
Coventry St Michael 83 3.90x
Bristol St George 79 3.31x
Poplar London 79 1.59x
Nuneaton 77 10.02x
Hammersmith London 73 1.13x
Hampstead London 72 1.76x
Leicester St Mary 71 3.01x
Woolwich 71 2.14x
Tottenham 70 1.67x
Kidderminster Borough 69 3.43x
Leeds 68 0.46x
Warminster 68 13.35x
Limehouse London 66 2.29x
Harborne 65 2.29x
Rotherhithe 65 2.00x
Lewisham 64 1.34x
Frome 63 6.22x
Syresham 63 87.51x
Nottingham St Mary 62 0.68x
Leamington Priors 61 3.74x
Kettering 60 6.00x
West Bromwich 60 1.18x
Wandsworth 57 2.25x
Bromley London 56 0.97x
Watford 56 3.99x
Maidstone 55 2.06x
Heigham 53 2.44x
Wolverhampton 53 0.78x
Bow London 52 1.55x
Liverpool 52 0.27x
Lonbridge Deverill 52 63.71x
Walcot 52 2.31x
St Giles In Fields 51 5.62x
Cardiff St Mary 50 1.98x
Hornsey 50 1.50x
Hove 50 2.57x
St Luke London 50 1.19x
Westminster St John 50 1.56x
Aberystruth 49 2.92x
Dudley 49 1.17x
St George In East 49 2.74x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Payne surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 1,582
Sarah 1,028
Elizabeth 989
Eliza 509
Emma 476
Jane 430
Alice 419
Ann 415
Annie 413
Emily 400
Ellen 378
Louisa 242
Harriet 200
Fanny 195
Martha 193
Hannah 192
Edith 191
Florence 188
Maria 186
Charlotte 170
Caroline 167
Ada 166
Margaret 149
Clara 148
Lucy 120
Kate 118
Catherine 116
Harriett 111
Susan 110
Frances 108
Anne 106
Amelia 99
Agnes 95
Matilda 94
Rose 91
Sophia 77
Rebecca 75
Esther 67
Julia 67
Minnie 61
Jessie 60
Gertrude 57
Elizth. 56
Amy 55
Isabella 53
Lydia 53
Ethel 51
Selina 48
Susannah 47
Laura 45

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Payne surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 1,774
John 1,258
George 1,139
James 798
Thomas 681
Charles 670
Henry 670
Joseph 413
Alfred 342
Edward 317
Frederick 316
Arthur 310
Robert 275
Walter 232
Albert 220
Samuel 213
Harry 194
Richard 193
Ernest 135
Frank 119
Edwin 117
Herbert 103
David 93
Benjamin 81
Francis 80
Wm. 75
Fred 59
Stephen 45
Fredk. 43
Daniel 42
Isaac 41
Thos. 38
Tom 37
Sidney 36
Fredrick 32
Geo. 26
Jesse 24
Leonard 24
Peter 24
Chas. 23
Mark 23
Edgar 22
Abraham 21
Edmund 21
Percy 21
Phillip 21
Alexander 20
Philip 19
Frederic 18
Jno. 17

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Payne households.

FAQ

Payne surname: questions and answers

How common was the Payne surname in 1881?

In 1881, 26,886 people were recorded with the Payne surname. That placed it at #119 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Payne surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 38,537 in 2016. That gives Payne a modern rank of #130.

What does the Payne surname mean?

A topographic surname derived from the Old French word "paien," meaning a pagan or one who lived near a pagan temple.

What does the Payne map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Payne bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.