Pait History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Pait surname finds its earliest origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name is derived from the baptismal name for Patrick. In the religious naming tradition the Pait surname was bestowed in honor of a religious figure. In Europe, the Christian Church was one of the most powerful influences on the formation of given names. Alternatively, the name could have been derived from the Middle English word "pate" which meant "head" or "skull". In this latter case, the name would have been a nickname.

Early Origins of the Pait family

The surname Pait was first found in Cambridgeshire, where one of the first records of the name was Walter Patte who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273. The Yorkshire Poll Tax records of 1379 list the following: Willelmus Payt, and Cecilia Payt (who we presume are related); and Johannes Patte.

Early History of the Pait family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pait research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1516, 1528, 1533, 1557, 1565, 1585, 1588, 1652, 1666, 1688, 1734 and 1746 are included under the topic Early Pait History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pait Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Pait are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Pait include: Pate, Pait, Pat, Patt and others.

Early Notables of the Pait family

Notables of the family at this time include Richard Pate (1516-1588), English founder of the Cheltenham grammar school, commonly described as of Minsterworth, Gloucestershire. Pate died on 28 Oct. 1588, in his seventy-third year, and was buried in the south transept of Gloucester Cathedral, where his monument was renewed by Corpus Christi College in 1688.Richard Pate or Pates (d. 1565), was an English prelate, Bishop of Worcester, son...
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pait Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Pait family to Ireland

Some of the Pait family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pait migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Pait or a variant listed above:

Pait Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

John W Pait, who arrived in Texas in 1835 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Pait (post 1700) +

T. Glenn Pait MD, American Director of the T. Glenn Pait Spine Clinic, UAMS Jackson T. Stephens Spine Institute
Alfonso Pait, Peruvian judge of Beauty Form at the 1986 and 1987 Miss Peru pageant

Citations +

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)