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Show ContentsPaul History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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One of the most common classes of Scottish surnames is the patronymic surname, which arose out of the vernacular and religious naming traditions. The vernacular or regional naming tradition is the oldest and most pervasive type of patronymic surname. According to this custom, names were originally composed of vocabulary elements from the local language. Patronymic surnames of this type were usually derived from the personal name of the original bearer's father. The surname Paul is derived from the ancient Latin personal name Paulus meaning small. It has always been common in Christendom due to the importance and enduring popularity of St. Paul. "As a Christian name, examples are not common but it can hardly be regarded as 'a very rare name in the Middle Ages' in view of the numerous forms and derivatives." 1

St. Paul or Pol (d.573) "also called Aurelian, [was] bishop of Léon in Brittany, was the son of Perphius, Porfius, or Porfus, who in a late legend is called Aurelianus—namely, of Orleans—but this name probably did not belong to his family, and was first applied to the saint when his relics were moved to Orleans. He is said to have been born at Pen-hoen in Cornwall or Wales." 2

Early Origins of the Paul family

The surname Paul was first found in the East Riding of Yorkshire at Paull, a parish, in the union of Patrington, S. division of the wapentake of Holderness. The parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Pagele, and literally meant "place at the stake, (marking a landing-place)" from the Old English word "pagal." 3

Paul (d. 1093) "Abbot of St. Albans, a Norman by birth, was a kinsman, and according to tradition a son, of Lanfranc, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury." 2

In early times there were three settlements: Paull Fleet; Up Paull and Paull Holme. All merged in the 16th century or so to become Paull. Not withstanding the parish reference, due to the aforementioned personal name origin, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 show the scattered mention of the name at that time: Stephen Paul in Nottinghamshire; 4 and Thomas filius Pole in Derbyshire. 1

The lion's share of the family claim Scotland as their homeland and rightly so. "This surname is one of considerable antiquity in the parish of Daviot, and occurs in the parish of Fintry in 1654. It is also found in the Lothians and in Fife, where it is considered "by family tradition a Flemish name," but is not necessarily so. " 5

Paul, "Earl of Orkney (d. 1099), succeeded to the earldom while Orkney was under the suzerainty of Norway, conjointly with his younger brother, Erlend, on the death of their father, Earl Torfinn, in 1064. He was closely related to the reigning families both of Scotland and Norway, his mother, Ingibiörg, daughter of Earl Finn Arnasson, being cousin-german to Thora, wife of Harald Sigurdson (Hardradi), king of Norway, and mother of King Olaf the Quiet." 2

"Paul the Silent, Earl of Orkney (fl. 1130), ruled over the islands with his half-brother Harald. On the death of Harald, Paul ruled for a time alone. He was somewhat taciturn, spoke little at the Thing-meetings, and gave others a large share of the government. He was modest, gentle to the people, and liberal with his money among his friends. He was not warlike." 2

Early History of the Paul family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Paul research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1309, 1327, 1349, 1404, 1528, 1546, 1563, 1599, 1631, 1637, 1659, 1663, 1665, 1678, 1685, 1696, 1707, 1716, 1744, 1787 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Paul History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Paul Spelling Variations

Scottish surnames are distinguished by a multitude of spelling variations because, over the centuries, the names were frequently translated into and from Gaelic. Furthermore, the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent because medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules. The different versions of a surname, such as the inclusion of the patronymic prefix "Mac", frequently indicated a religious or Clan affiliation or even a division of the family. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into Scotland, accelerating accentuating the alterations to various surnames. The name Paul has also been spelled Paul, Paule, Pauls, Paull, Paulls and others.

Early Notables of the Paul family

Notable among the family at this time was

  • Sir Charles St. Paul of Gloucestershire; and William Paul (1599-1665), Dean of Lichfield, Bishop of Oxford in 1663. Another William Paul (1678-1716) was a Jacobite, the eldest son of John Paul, who po...
  • Sir George Pault (1563-1637), was an English registrar of the court of high commission and biographer of Whitgift. He descended from the family of Paule of Westhartburne or Goosepoole, Durham. 2

Paul World Ranking

In the United States, the name Paul is the 408th most popular surname with an estimated 67,149 people with that name. 6 However, in Canada, the name Paul is ranked the 227th most popular surname with an estimated 17,695 people with that name. 7 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Paul is the 462nd popular surname. 8 Newfoundland, Canada ranks Paul as 352nd with 132 people. 9 France ranks Paul as 140th with 21,860 people. 10 Australia ranks Paul as 371st with 9,901 people. 11 New Zealand ranks Paul as 175th with 3,077 people. 12 The United Kingdom ranks Paul as 538th with 12,088 people. 13 South Africa ranks Paul as 895th with 7,780 people. 14

Ireland Migration of the Paul family to Ireland

Some of the Paul family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 131 words (9 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Paul migration to the United States +

Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Paul, or a variant listed above:

Paul Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Daniel Paul, who settled in Boston in 1630
  • William Paul, who landed in Massachusetts in 1635 15
  • Mr. Wm Paul, aged 20, who arrived in Bermuda, (Somers Islands) in 1635 aboard the ship "Truelove" 16
  • Francis Paul, who landed in Virginia in 1637 15
  • Pat Paul, who landed in Virginia in 1648 15
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Paul Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Johan Daniell Paul, who landed in New York in 1709 15
  • Henry Paul settled with his wife and seven children in Virginia in 1709
  • John Paul, who settled in Virginia with his wife and five children in 1709
  • Henrig Paul, who arrived in New York in 1709 15
  • Jeanne Paul, who arrived in Louisiana in 1719 15
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Paul Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Paul, aged 20, who landed in New York, NY in 1804 15
  • Samuel Paul, aged 29, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1805 15
  • Ann Paul, who landed in America in 1805 15
  • Alexander Paul, aged 22, who landed in New York in 1812 15
  • Dunbar Paul, aged 21, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812 15
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Paul Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Elizabeth Paul, aged 17, who arrived in New York, NY in 1902 15
  • Louis Paul, who landed in Arkansas in 1906 15

Canada Paul migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Paul Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Julien Paul, who arrived in Canada in 1714
  • Timothy Paul, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1757
  • Mr. Caleb Paul U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 17
  • Mrs. Elizabeth Paul U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 17
  • Mrs. Margaret Paul U.E. who settled in Belle Vue, Beaver Harbour, Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 17
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Paul Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • John Paul, aged 21, a farmer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the schooner "Sarah" from Belfast, Ireland
  • Ms. Agnes Paul, aged 28 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Sobraon" departing from the port of Sobraon, Liverpool but died on Grosse Isle on 12th July 1847 18
  • Friedrich Paul, who arrived in Quebec in 1850
  • Miss Ellen Paul, (b. 1834), aged 21, Cornish servant departing from Falmouth destined for Quebec, Canada aboard the ship "Barque John" on 3rd May 1855 which sank after striking the reef, she died in the sinking 19

Australia Paul migration to Australia +

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

Paul Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Paul, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Almorah" on April 1817, settling in New South Wales, Australia 20
  • Mr. Henry Paul (b. 1792), aged 25, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 27th March 1817, sentenced for life for breaking and entering and stealing money from Thomas Rogers, transported aboard the ship "Ocean" in August 1817 to Australia 21
  • Mr. William Paul, (b. 1802), aged 26, English soldier who was convicted in London, England for 7 years for desertion from the army, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 29th April 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 22
  • Mr. James Paul, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Florentia" on 11th August 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 23
  • Mr. John Paul, (b. 1799), aged 36, English farm labourer who was convicted in Norfolk, England for 14 years for poaching, transported aboard the "Bardaster" on 7th September 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1874 24
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Paul 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:

Paul Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Eliza Paul, aged 19, a sempstress, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Lady Nugent" in 1841
  • Hugh Paul, aged 17, a farm servant, who arrived in Nelson, New Zealand aboard the ship "Martha Ridgway" in 1842
  • Arthur Paul, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ann Wilson" in 1857
  • Mr. John Paul, Canadian settler travelling from Prince Edward Island aboard the ship "Prince Edward" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 13th May 1859 25
  • John Paul, aged 21, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Accrington" in 1863 26
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Paul (post 1700) +

  • Alexandra Paul (b. 1963), American actress, known for Baywatch (1989), Christine (1983) and Dragnet (1987).
  • Philip Paul (1925-2022), American studio drummer from Cincinnati, Ohio, he and his wife, Juanita were honored at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in 2009
  • Arthur "Art" Paul (1925-2018), American graphic designer and founding art director of Playboy magazine, best known for his Playboy rabbit logo
  • Billy Paul (1934-2016), born Paul Williams, American Grammy Award-winning singer, probably best known for his 1972 hit "Me and Mrs. Jones"
  • William Erwin Paul (1936-2015), American immunologist, known for his work on AIDS at the National Institutes of Health
  • Randal Howard "Rand" Paul (b. 1963), American physician and politician, United States Senator from Kentucky (2011-), candidate for the 2016 U.S. presidential election
  • Major-General Willard Stewart Paul (1894-1966), American Director of Personnel & Administration Division, Department of the Army (1947-1948) 27
  • Les Paul (1915-2009), born Lester William Polsfuss, American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor
  • Alice Paul (1885-1977), American feminist and suffragist
  • Gregory S. Paul (b. 1954), American paleontologist, author and illustrator
  • ... (Another 86 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bismarck
  • Martin Paul (1918-1941), German Steuermannsmaat who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 28
  • Helmut Paul (1921-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 28
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. Albert  Paul (1861-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 29
  • Mrs. Mary Katherine  Paul (1882-1917), Canadian resident from Tufts Cove, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 29
  • Baby Paul, Canadian resident from Tufts Cove, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 29
HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. Stanley Robert Paul (1919-1941), Australian Stoker from Mackay, Queensland, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 30
HMS Dorsetshire
  • William George Paul (d. 1945), British Petty Officer Sick Berth aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 31
  • Eric Dudley Paul (d. 1945), British Lieutenant (S) aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 31
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Charles William Paul, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 32
HMS Royal Oak
  • Leslie William Charles Paul (1920-1939), British Stoker 2nd Class with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he died in the sinking 33

The Paul 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: Pro rege et republica
Motto Translation: For King and state.

Suggested Readings for the name Paul +

  • Your Desert and Mine by Nina Paul Shumway.
  • Philip Paul of Stocklinch, Somerset, England and some of his Descendants in Old Gloucester County, New Jersey and Elsewhere by Gordon W. Paul.
  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  5. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  8. "The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
  9. The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
  10. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  11. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  12. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  13. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  14. "Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
  15. 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)
  16. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's Retrieved January 6th 2023, retrieved from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  17. 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
  18. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 51)
  19. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/wreck_of_emigrant_ship_john_1855.pdf
  20. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Almorah voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1817 with 180 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/almorah/1817
  21. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
  22. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th April 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
  23. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/florentia
  24. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bardaster
  25. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  26. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  27. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2014, March 26) Willard Paul. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Paul/Willard_Stewart/USA.html
  28. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
  29. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  30. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  31. Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
  32. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  33. Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html
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