This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Payton family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Payton Family History

Payton Surname Meaning

English (mainly West Midlands): habitational name from Peyton in Ramsholt (Suffolk) derived from the Old English personal name Pǣga + Old English tūn ‘farmstead estate’.

Irish (mainly County Donegal): Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Peatáin ‘descendant of Peatán’, a pet form of the personal name Pádraig (see Patrick).

Outside County Donegal, the name is apparently mainly of English origin (see 1 above).

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Payton family from?

You can see how Payton families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Payton family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Payton families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 357 Payton families living in London. This was about 24% of all the recorded Payton's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Payton families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Payton surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Payton ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Payton. 13% of Payton men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Payton women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Payton were Retired and Unpaid Domestic Dutie.

View Census Data for Payton | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    13%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    7%
  • Retired
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic Dutie
    2%

What Payton family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 83,000 census records available for the last name Payton. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Payton census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Payton

Passenger Lists

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Payton. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Payton immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 16,000 military records available for the last name Payton. For the veterans among your Payton ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Payton military records

You've only scratched the surface of Payton family history

Discover More

What is the average Payton lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Payton life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1943, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Payton in 1942 was 50, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Payton

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Payton ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Payton family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial