Payton is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norm
an Conquest of 1066. The Payton family lived in Sussex, at Peyton, from whence their name
derives.
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 Peyton, Payton and others.
First found in Suffolk where they were seated from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.
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 Payton or a
variant listed above: Henry Payton, who settled in Virginia in 1623; Robert Payton, who came to
Virginia in 1634; Peter Payton, who settled in Virginia in 1636; George Peyton settled in Virginia in
1748.
Motto Translated: I endure, I enjoy