Payan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France

Early Origins of the Payan family

The surname Payan was first found in Dauphiny (French: Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois), a former province in southeastern France, where this family held a family seat from very early times.

One of the first records of the family was Hugues de Payens (or Payns) (c. 1070-1136), the Frankish knight from the Champagne region who was the co-founder and first Grand Master of the Knights Templar. He co-created the Latin Rule, the code of behavior for the Order and is believed to have been born in Troyes, France, but his lineage is unknown.

Jacques Payen, son of Jacques and Madeleine (née Cantin), was a French cobbler that settled in Quebec in the 17th century. He married Louise Morin, daughter of Pierre and Catherine (née LeMesle), on 3rd February 1699. He married again on 16th October 1710 in Sainte-Foy, Quebec to Marguerite Sedilot, daughter of Jean and Marie-Claire (née De La Hogue). 1

Early History of the Payan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Payan research. Another 320 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1279, 1380, 1415, 1450, 1503, 1512, 1539, 1559, 1572, 1610, 1612, 1613, 1653, 1700, 1712, 1779, 1793, 1794 and 1796 are included under the topic Early Payan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Payan Spelling Variations

French surnames were subject to numerous spelling alterations depending on the region and time it was used. The early development of the French language relied heavily on borrowing elements and grammar from other languages. For example, Old French was infused with Germanic words and sounds when barbarian tribes invaded and settled in France after the fall of the Roman Empire. Middle French also borrowed heavily from the Italian language during the Renaissance. As a result of these linguistic and cultural influences, the name Payan is distinguished by a number of regional variations. The many spelling variations of the name include Payan, Payen, Payon, Payont, Payond, Payons, Paian, Paien, Paion, Paiont, Paions, Pagan, Pagant, Pagani, Payani, Payhani and many more.

Early Notables of the Payan family

More information is included under the topic Early Payan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Payan Ranking

In the United States, the name Payan is the 10,582^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2 However, in France, the name Payan is ranked the 3,644^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 3

Payan migration to the United States +

In 1643, 109 years after the first landings by Cartier, there were only about 300 people in Quebec. Migration was slow. The fur trade attracted migrants, both noble and commoner. By 1675, there were 7000 French in Quebec. By the same year the French Acadian presence in the Maritimes had reached 500. The French founded Lower Canada, thus becoming one of the two great founding nations of Canada. The family name Payan has made many distinguished contributions in France and New France to the world of science, culture, religion, and education. Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Payan were

Payan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Peter Payan who settled in Philadelphia in 1794

Payan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Seraphin Payan, aged 33, German settler who arrived in New York in 1893 aboard the ship "La Gascogne" 4

Payan Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Jose Payan, aged 58, who settled in America from Lima, in 1904
Francois Payan, aged 20, who immigrated to America from Montgardin, France, in 1907
Maria Payan, aged 18, who immigrated to the United States from Montgardin, France, in 1907
Joe Payan, aged 60, who landed in America from Paris, France, in 1908
Maria Payan, aged 43, who landed in America from Paris, France, in 1914
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Payan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Payan Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Pierre Payan, son of Pierre and Gélène, who married Catherine-Jeanne Lemoyne, daughter of Charles and Catherine, in Quebec on 8th December 1694 5
Jacques Payan, son of François and Madeleine, who married Louise Morin, daughter of Pierre and Catherine, in Quebec on 3rd February 1699 5

Payan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Jacques Payan, son of François and Madeleine, who married Marguerite Sédilot, daughter of Jean and Marie-Claire, in Sainte-Foy, Quebec on 16th October 1710 5
Joseph-Jacques Payan, son of Jacques and Marie-Louise, who married Marie-Jeanne Legris, daughter of Jean and Geneviève, in Quebec on 2nd November 1721 5
Charles Payan, son of Jacques and Marguerite, who married Marguerite Le Marié, daughter of Antoine and Thérèse, in Quebec on 7th February 1735 5
Pierre-Antoine Payan, son of Jacques and Louise, who married Marie-Louise Sasseville, daughter of Pierre and Madeleine, in Quebec on 26th November 1736 5
Dominique Payan, son of Joseph-Jacques and Marie-Jeanne, who married Marie-Louise Laporte, daughter of Françoise and Marie-Louise, in Chambly, Quebec on 22nd February 1745 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Payan (post 1700) +

Carlos Payan (1963-2024), French Protestant pastor
Joseph-François de Payan (1759-1852), political figure during the French Revolution
Sébastien Payan (b. 1986), French rugby league player
Ferdinand Payan (1870-1961), French cyclist of the early 1900s
Claude-François de Payan (1766-1794), political figure of the French Revolution
Eliseo Payán (1825-1895), Colombian lawyer, politician, and military officer
Daniel Payan, Legal Adviser, Paris
Ilka Tanya Payan (1943-1996), Dominican actress and attorney

Sources +

Olivier, Reginald L. Your Ancient Canadian Family Ties. Logan: The Everton Publishers, Inc., P.O. Box 368, 1972. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Germans to America retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from Glazier, Ira. A., and Filby, P. William. Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports. Vol. 62, Scholarly Resources Inc, 1997
Internoscia, Arthur E., and Claire Chevrier. Dictionnaire National des Canadiens Français 1608-1760. Vol. 2, Institut Drouin, 1958.