Paines (surname)

Paines
LanguageNorman, English, French, Portuguese
Origin
Word/nameNormandy, France
DerivationPagānus (Medieval Latin)

Paines is a surname of Anglo-Norman origin, first recorded in England in the period following the Norman Conquest of 1066.[1]

Etymology

The surname derives from the medieval Latin given name Pagānus, which entered Old French as paien. Its original meaning was "villager" or "countryman." Subsequently, in a religious context, the term acquired the meaning of "pagan."[2]

Common spelling variations of the name include Payne, Payn, Pagan, and Fitz-Payn (a patronymic form meaning "son of Payn").[2]

History

The name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where an individual is recorded as Edmund filius Pagen (Edmund, son of Pagen).[2] Studies in onomastics indicate that the name became established as a hereditary surname in medieval England between the 11th and 13th centuries.[1]

During the English colonization of the Americas, the name was introduced to New England in the 17th century by settlers from Great Britain.[3]

Coat of arms

Certain British armorials record coats of arms associated with the Paine surname. A version described in Fairbairn's Book of Crests is blazoned as follows:[4]

  • Arms: Argent, a cross patoncé Sable.
  • Helm: A knight's helmet surmounted by a crown.
  • Supporters: Two angelic figures.
  • Motto: Mori Invictus (Latin for "To die unconquered").

Note: A coat of arms is granted to an individual, not a family or surname. The arms described above would belong only to the specific lineage for which they were granted.

Notable people

References

  1. ^ a b Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (1988). A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0192115928.
  2. ^ a b c Reaney, Percy Hide; Wilson, R. M. (1997). A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 339. ISBN 0-19-860092-5.
  3. ^ Anderson, Robert Charles (1995). The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620–1633. Vol. III (P-W). New England Historic Genealogical Society. ISBN 978-0880820448.
  4. ^ Fairbairn, James (1905) [1859]. Fairbairn's Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. 1. T. C. & E. C. Jack. p. 359.