Fitzpayn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Fitzpayn surname, of Norman ancestry, was a name given to a person who lives in the country or a person who's religious beliefs are somewhat suspect. Checking further we found the name was derived from the Old English word paien, which was originally derived from the Latin word paganus, meaning rustic or countryman. It later also came to mean heathen and was often given to children whose baptism was delayed or, to adults whose religious zeal was not what the standards of the day indicated it should have been.

Conversely, many believe that the family claim Norman descent as in "Paganus was a Norman personal name, whence the modern Payne and Paine, as well as the more ancient Paganel and Paynel. William the Conqueror was assisted in his invasion, by several persons so designated, and in [the] Domesday Book we find among his tenants in capite, or chief holders of land, the names of Ralph Paganel and Edmund filius Pagani, i.e., Fitz-Payne. Indeed during the Norman dynasty, Paganus was one of the most common names in England." 1

Early Origins of the Fitzpayn family

The surname Fitzpayn was first found in Somerset where the aforementioned Edmund filius Pagen (Pagani) 2 was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. The same source also lists the aforementioned Ralph Paganel as Radulfus Paganus, again in Somerset. 2

Almost one hundred years later, Reginaldus filius Pain was listed as a Knights Templar in 1185 in Lincolnshire. The Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire list John Pane in 1190 and the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire list Robert Pain in 1200. Payn de Weston was listed in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1268. 3

Sir John Paynell of Drax, from Yorkshire was summoned to Parliament as a Baron from the 29th of December 1299 to the 25th of August 1318. 4 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 have numerous entries as a forename and surname including: Payne de Stantin in Norfolk; Robert filius Payn in Huntingdonshire; and Gilbert Payn in Essex. 5

The parish of Stourpain in Dorset "derives its name from its situation near the river Stour, which runs on the west and south, and from one of its earliest proprietors, named Paine." 6 "A priory of Black canons, in honour of St. James, was founded here [in Warter in the East Riding of Yorkshire] in 1132, by Geoffry Fitz-Pain." 6

"It is however, remarkable that a colony of Paynes has been established across the Scottish border in Dumfriesshire. " 7

Early History of the Fitzpayn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Fitzpayn research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1455, 1489, 1506, 1532, 1582, 1630, 1632, 1652, 1695, 1698, 1704, 1710, 1713, 1715, 1717, 1789 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Fitzpayn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Fitzpayn Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Payne, Paine, Paynell, Pane, Pain and others.

Early Notables of the Fitzpayn family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Peter Payne (died 1455), English lollard and Taborite, born at Hough-on-the-Hill, near Grantham, Lincolnshire; Saint John Paine (1532-1582), English Catholic priest and martyr; Elizabeth Pain (c. 1652-1704), sometimes spelled Payne, English spinster in Boston who was brought to trial after the death of her child, she was acquitted of the murder charge but found guilty of negligence, fined, and flogged, some believe is the inspiration for the character Hester Prynne in the novel The Scarlet...
Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Fitzpayn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fitzpayn family to Ireland

Some of the Fitzpayn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 142 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Fitzpayn family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Fitzpayn or a variant listed above: Anne Payne, who settled with her husband William and children, in Boston in 1635; Thomas Payne settled in Virginia in 1635; Albert, Benjamin, Francis, Phillip, Thomas and William Payne all arrived in Philadelphia between 1800 and 1870..

The Fitzpayn Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Malo mori quam foedari
Motto Translation: I would rather die than be disgraced.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.