Frequency: (352)
(number of times this surname appears in a sample database of 88.7 million names, representing one third of the 1997 US population)
1. Portuguese and Galician: patronymic from the personal name Paio, equivalent of Spanish Pelayo.
2. Italian: when not of the same origin as 1, a nickname from Greek pais ‘boy’, ‘lad’, ‘servant’.
GIVEN NAMES: Spanish 14%; Portuguese 8%; Italian 6%. Fernando (4), Jose (4), Alberto (2), Ana (2), Ramon (2), Adelino, Alina, Altino, Angel, Armando, Armindo, Catalina; Joao, Joaquim, Sebastiao, Serafim; Antonio (6), Angelo (2), Silvio (2), Antonino, Ateo, Elio, Guido, Lia.
See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.
