Contents [hide]

Paine History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Suggested Reading Citations

Paine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland

The Ancestry of the Paine name lies with the Norman Conquest of England. This Norman name was used for 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 Paine family

The surname Paine 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 Paine family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Paine 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 Paine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Paine Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Payne, Paine, Paynell, Pane, Pain and others.

Early Notables of the Paine family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Saint John Paine (1532-1582), English Catholic priest and martyr
James Paine (1717-1789), an English architect

Paine Ranking

In the United States, the name Paine is the 2,679^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 8

Migration of the Paine family to Ireland

Some of the Paine 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.

Paine migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Paine or a variant listed above:

Paine Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Mr. Henry Paine, who was aboard the ship "Sea Venture" who wrecked in Bermudas in 1609, they managed to build a new ship to continue to Jamestown in 1610, he was shot for mutiny 9
Mr. Thomas Paine, who arrived in Virginia in 1632 aboard the ship "Whale" 9
Edward Paine, who landed in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1637 10
Mr. Thomas Paine, II, (b. 1586), aged 50, British born Suffolk, British weaver from Wrentham, Suffolk departing May 1637 from England aboard the ship "Mary Ann" arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, United States on 20 June 1637, heading for Salem 11
Mrs. Elizabeth Paine, (b. 1584), aged 53, British born Suffolk from Wrentham, Suffolk departing May 1637 from England aboard the ship "Mary Ann" arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, United States on 20 June 1637, heading for Salem 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Paine Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

James Paine, who arrived in Virginia in 1700 10
Trestram Paine, who landed in Virginia in 1703 10
Benjamin Paine, who landed in New England in 1734 10

Paine Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Paine, who arrived in New York in 1839 10
Jeffery Paine, aged 25, who arrived in New York in 1849 10
H J Paine, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 10
C Paine, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 10
Henry Paine, who arrived in Virginia in 1887 10

Paine migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Paine Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Charles Paine, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749
M.D. William Paine U.E. born in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA who settled in Le Tete [Frye's Island], Passamaquoddy Bay, New Brunswick c. 1784, then resettled in Saint John, New Brunswick he Graduated Harvard in 1768, was member of the House of Assembly, he later returned to Salem, Massachusetts, then Worcester he died in 1833 12

Paine Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Richard B Paine, who arrived in Canada in 1830
Samuel L Paine, who arrived in Canada in 1830

Paine migration to Australia +

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

Paine Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Paine, English convict from Hertfordshire, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. Stephen Paine, (b. 1798), aged 24, English convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 13th July 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1870 14
Mr. John Paine, English ploughman who was convicted in Essex, England for 14 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Earl St Vincent" on 20th April 1826, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 15
John Paine, English convict from Surrey, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 16
Mr. Thomas Paine who was convicted in Devon, England for life, transported aboard the "Circassian" on 4th November 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 17
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Paine 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:

Paine Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Paine, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "George Fyffe" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 7th November 1842 18
Benjamin Paine, aged 27, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Seringapatam" in 1856
J. Paine, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Harkaway" in 1858 19
Miss Mary Ann Paine, (b. 1844), aged 24, British nurse travelling from London aboard the ship "Gainsborough" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd May 1868 18
Mr. Henry Paine, (b. 1843), aged 30, English labourer from Surrey travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Surat" going to Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand in 1873, the ship sunk at the Catlins River all the passengers were transported to Dunedin via various rescure vessels 20
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Paine migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 21

Paine Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Mr. Robert Paine, Cornish settler from Marazion, Cornwall, (b. 1605), aged 29, British settler travelling from Plymouth, England aboard the ship "Margarett" arriving in St Christopher (Saint Kitts) on 1st March 1634 22

Contemporary Notables of the name Paine (post 1700) +

Thomas Paine (1737-1809), American politician, defender of the concept of Revolution, best remembered for his works: "The Rights of Man" and "The Age of Reason"
Robert Treat Paine (1731-1814), American signer of Declaration of Independence
Robert Treat "Bob" Paine III (1933-2016), American ecologist who first coined the keystone species
Brigadier-General George Harris Paine (1884-1949), American Commanding Officer 31st Field Artillery Brigade (1943-1945) 23
John Paine (1870-1951), American one time Olympic gold medalist for shooting during the 1896 games
Sumner Paine (1868-1904), American one time gold and one time silver Olympic medalist for shooting during the 1896 games 24
Charles Jackson Paine (1833-1916), American Civil War general and America's Cup yachtsman
Eleazer A. Paine (1815-1882), American Civil War general
Lyman Paine (1901-1978), American architect
Elijah Paine (1757-1842), U.S. Senator from Vermont
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Paine 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.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
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)
Passengers of the Mary Anne of Yarmouth (Retrieved 18th November 2020). Retrieved from http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/MaryAnne.html
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
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-st-vincent
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 8th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/circassian
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
Cornish in the Caribbean (retrieved on 23rd September 2021). Retrieved from https://books.google.ca/books?id=gnSFDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA265&lpg=PA265&dq=wallen+lizard+cornwall&source=bl&ots=ARTnm6uRLv&sig=ACfU3U3ewicUaBkTuwC_Gpr0ic-
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) George Paine. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Paine/George_Harris/USA.html
Athletes - Famous Olympic Athletes, Medalists, Sports Heroes. (Retrieved 2010, September 27) Sumner Paine. Retrieved from http://www.olympic.org/content/olympic-athletes/generic-athlete-page/?athleteid=58198