Hugh de PAYEN...founder of the Knights Templar in Clermont, France seems to as far back as anything I have read... My wife, Tonia Edwards, has Payne lineage and we are both members of the Templars in the U.S. Chev. Edward Rach KTJ, CSSt.S, FRC, PNAF >Have you looked at www.paine.org ? >There is a page there with some suggestions about the origin of the name. >John Paine > >-----Original Message----- >From: John & Sandy Brandt <brandt@comwares.net> >To: PAYNE-L@rootsweb.com <PAYNE-L@rootsweb.com> >Date: 11 September 1999 19:13 >Subject: Origin of the name Payne > > >>I am putting together a small booklet for our family; historic info, family >>sheets and a short history on the origin and possible "meaning" of each of >>our family lines. This is NOT going to be published, but a computer copy, >>meant for our family only. I am asking for some assistance on the name, >>Payne. This is meant to be rather generic, but I hesitate to use the stuff >>received in the mail from Bath, Ohio. I only know that our Wayne Co. IL. >>Payne ancestor, Thomas, was b. in 1808 in N.C., so I have a lot of future >>research ahead of me! Thanks for whatever help you might offer! >>Sandra Brandt >>brandt@comwares.net