An Italian and English surname, Pay comes from the Middle English terms ‘pa’ and ‘pega’ which refers to a local area or person. Variations in spelling for Pay include La Pay, Pascelli, Pascel, Pace, De Pay, Paci, Pase, Pacelli and Pascel. From northern Italy, around Bologna, the early Pay families lived. Within England most Pay families are in the southeast section around Kent, Sussex and Hampshire. The Lanarkshire county in Scotland has many Pay families. Within the United States the earliest Pay families came to settle in Mary in the 1660s. In the 20th century the states of Georgia, New York, Ohio, Texas and California have the greater Pay population.