Surname Payen - Meaning and Origin

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Erudite by nature and animated by a fervor to understand my roots, I decided to undertake the iGENEA DNA tests. Much to my surprise, the results revealed insights that impacted my understanding of my ancestors, named Payen, and reinvented my self-perception, offering a remarkable twist to our family narrative.

N. Payen

Payen: What does the surname Payen mean?

Payen is a French surname that comes from the personal name Payne, which is derived from the Latin "Paganus". This was a Roman nickname meaning 'country dweller' or 'rustic'. It generally implies someone who is from the countryside. The name became popular in Christian Europe due to several saints with this name from the early Christian period. Later, it became a common name due to the Norman influence. The spelling variations of Payen include Pagan, Pagani, Pagano, Paganel, Paganelli, Paganello, Paganucci, Pagavino, Paganino, Paganiello and more. As a surname, it can be traced back to the early medieval period in France. Therefore, the Payen surname reflects a historical, geographical, and possibly occupational origin linked to residing or working in rural areas.

Payen: Where does the name Payen come from?

The last name Payen is a French family name, and is still widely used in France today, particularly in Normandy. Beyond French borders, Payen is a common surname in Quebec, Canada, as well as in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia in North Africa. Due to migration and the widespread use of the surname, people with this surname can be found in other parts of the world, such as in the United Kingdom, Germany, Iraq, and the United States of America.

The name Payen is derived from the Old French word “paion” which means “countryman.” This is why Payen is often seen as a surname of peasant origin. It is a reference to humble beginnings, typically rural. It was particularly common in areas of Normandy as people from other regions moved into the area in the Middle Ages.

The highest population density for the last name Payen is in France, with an estimated 5,000 people sharing this surname. Other areas around the world where Payen is commonly found include Canada, Algeria, and Tunisia. Payen is still an enduring surname and continues to be used throughout the world.

Variations of the surname Payen

Payen is a French and German surname of unknown origin. It likely has many variants and spellings, as surnames did not become fixed until the 19th century.

The most common variants of the Payen surname include Paen, Payan, Paian, Paeyen, Payen, Payant, Payon, Payne, and Payenau. Other less common variants include Pagan, Pagon, Pagen, Pain, Païn, Pauen, Páyen, Péen, Pouen, Pyen, and Pyn.

The variants Paen, Payan, and Payon most likely originated in Picardy in Northern France, while the variants Payant and Payenau likely derive from Champagne in Eastern France, and variants Payen and Payne likely developed from areas around the English Channel in France and the Low Countries. Payen is particularly common in Lorraine.

The variants Pagan, Pagon, Pagen, Pain, Païn, Pauen, Páyen, Péen, and Pyen most likely originate from Germany, while the variant Pyn is characteristic of the Bavarian region.

The Spanish variants of the Payen surname include Paeon, Payán, Payan, and Payanes. A Portugese variant is Paign.

It is likely that the numerous variants of the Payen surname all descended from a single ancestor, though the exact origin remains unknown.

Famous people with the name Payen

• Francis Payen: French mountaineer and Olympic skier
• Ryan Payen: Canadian actor and scriptwriter
• Justin Payen: Haitian footballer
• Jean-Paul Payen: French politician
• Afonso Payen: Brazilian basketball player
• Jay Payen: Venezuelan actor
• Pierre Payen: French musician
• Tony Payen: French singer
• Leon Payen: French politician
• François Payen: French sculptor
• Martin Payen: Venezuelan footballer
• Tatiana de Payen: French model
• Lucas Payen: French actor and director
• Alfred Payen: French singer
• Yann Payen: French architect
• Émile Payen: French architect and preservationist
• Riccardo Payen: Italian cyclist
• Mike Payen: British physician and gastroenterologist
• Erika Payén: Mexican-American journalist
• Rommel Payen: Venezuelan volleyball player

Other surnames

PayerPayerl