Show ContentsPagan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Italian Pagan surname is thought to derive from the personal name Pagano, from the Latin word "paganus," meaning "village dweller."

Early Origins of the Pagan family

The surname Pagan was first found in Naples, (Italian: Napoli, Latin: Neapolis) in 1119 when Ugone Pagano, was a prominent figure at that time.

Early History of the Pagan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pagan research. The years 1145, 1228, 1383, 1384, 1391, 1399, 1400, 1431, 1490, 1558, 1605, 1627, 1655, 1710, 1716 and 1782 are included under the topic Early Pagan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pagan Spelling Variations

Surnames that originated in Italy are characterized by an enormous number of spelling variations. Some of these are derived from regional traditions and dialects. Northern names, for instance, often end in "o", while southern names tend to end in "i". Other variations come from the fact the medieval scribes tended to spell according to the sound of words, rather than any particular set of rules. The recorded variations of Pagan include Pagani, Pagano, Pagan, Pagana, Paganelli, Paganetti, Paganetto, Paganini, Paganino, Paganin, Paganucci, Paganuzzi and many more.

Early Notables of the Pagan family

Prominent among bearers of this surname in early times was

  • Gregorio Pagani (1558-1605), Italian painter of the late Mannerist period, active mainly in Florence. He was the son of the painter Francesco Pagani
  • Pope Eugenio III, of the Paganelli family of Florence, who was elected in 1145
  • Federico Pagana, elected Doge of the Republic of Genoa in 1383
  • Simone Pagani was Bishop of Forlì from 1384 to 1391. From the Pagano family of Naples emerged many religious members: Giovanni, Cardinal in 1228
  • Vincenzo, Bishop of Acerra in 1627. Vincenzo Pagani, a painter born in the Marches in 1490 who was highly influenced by Raphael. His works can be seen in the Brera Gallery in Milan, around Italy, and...

Pagan Ranking

In the United States, the name Pagan is the 1,206th most popular surname with an estimated 24,870 people with that name. 1


United States Pagan migration to the United States +

Investigation of immigration and passenger lists has revealed a number of people bearing the name Pagan:

Pagan Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • James Pagan, who settled in Virginia in 1688
Pagan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John James Pagan, who arrived in Virginia in 1709 2
  • Robert Pagan, who arrived in Maine in 1748
  • William Pagan, who settled in New York in 1766
  • Janet Pagan, who arrived in New York sometime between 1783 and 1843
Pagan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • William Pagan, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1831 2
  • S Pagan, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
  • L Pagan, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
  • Ramon Pagan, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1860 2

Canada Pagan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Pagan Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. John Pagan U.E. who settled in St. Andrews, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 member of the Penobscot Association 3
  • Mr. Robert Pagan Jr., U.E. born in Glasgow, Scotland from Falmouth, Maine, USA who settled in St. Andrews, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 member of the Penobscot Association 3
  • Mr. Thomas Pagan U.E. born in Glasgow, Scotland from Falmouth, Maine, USA who settled in Parr Town, Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 member of the Penobscot Association, he was a Merchant who returned to Scotland where he died in 1804 3
Pagan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Pagan, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1800
  • Jane Pagan, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1821

Australia Pagan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Pagan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Pagan, (b. 1804), aged 37, Scottish labourer from Dumfries, Scotland, UK travelling aboard the ship "Ward Chapman" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 16th December 1841 4
  • Mrs. Grace Pagan, (b. 1803), aged 38, Cornish house keeper travelling aboard the ship "Ward Chapman" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 16th December 1841 4
  • Miss Mary Pagan, (b. 1830), aged 11, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Ward Chapman" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 16th December 1841 4
  • Miss Elizabeth Jane Pagan, (b. 1833), aged 8, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Ward Chapman" arriving in Port Phillip, New South Wales, Australia on 16th December 1841 4
  • Mr. John Pagan, (b. 1804), aged 37, Scottish labourer from Dumfries, Scotland departing from Bristol on 21st August 1841 aboard the ship "Ward Chipman" arriving in Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia on 6th December 1841 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Pagan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Pagan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Pagan, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Jura" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd September 1858 6
  • Mr. Archibald Pagan, Scottish settler travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd September 1860 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Pagan (post 1700) +

  • Irmgard Pagan, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Puerto Rico, 1996
  • Carlos M. Pagan, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1964
  • Antonio Pagán (1958-2009), American politician, who held roles in the municipal government of New York City
  • Ralfi Pagan (1947-1978), Bronx, New York based 'Latin soul ' and salsa singer
  • José Antonio Pagán (b. 1935), former Major League Baseball player from Puerto Rico
  • William Pagan U.E. (1744-1819), Scottish-born United Empire Loyalist from Falmouth, Maine, USA who settled in St. Andrews, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 to become Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1786 to 1816, brother of Robert Pagan
  • Robert Pagan U.E. (1750-1821), Scottish-born United Empire Loyalist from Falmouth, Maine, USA who settled in St. Andrews, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 to become Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1786 to 1819
  • Adrian Pagan (b. 1947), Australian economist and Professor of Economics
  • Angel Anthony Pagán (b. 1981), Puerto Rican Major League Baseball player
  • Denis Pagan (b. 1947), former Australian rules football coach and player in the VFL/AFL
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  4. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf
  5. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  7. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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