Payton is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Andy Payton (born 1967), English former professional footballer
Asie Payton (1937–1997), American blues musician
Barbara Payton (1927–1967), American film actress
Brian Payton (born 1966), American writer
Carolyn R. Payton (1925–2001), American psychologist, Director of the United States Peace Corps
Catherine Payton, later known as Catherine Payton Phillips, Quaker minister
Charles Payton (born 1960), American former professional basketball player
Charles Alfred Payton (1843–1926), British adventurer, fisherman, diplomat and writer
Christian Payton (born 1965), American actor and singer
Claude Payton (1882–1955), American actor
Clement W. Payton (1897–1918), English World War I flying ace
David Payton (born 1952), New Zealand diplomat
Denis Payton (1943–2006), English saxophonist
Dion Payton (born 1950), American Chicago blues guitarist and singer
Eddie Payton (born 1951) former American football player
Elfrid Payton (born 1967), Canadian football player
Elfrid Payton, Jr. (born 1994), American basketball player
Estella Payton (1904–1999), American television cook
Gary Payton (born 1968), American basketball player
Gary Payton II (born 1992), American basketball player and son of the above
Gary E. Payton (born 1948), American astronaut
James Payton, American history professor
Jarrett Payton (born 1980), professional American and Canadian football player; son of football player Walter Payton
Jay Payton (born 1972), American former baseball player
Jo Marie Payton (born 1950), American television actress
John Payton (1946–2012), African-American civil rights attorney
Jordan Payton (born 1993), American football player
Khary Payton (born 1972), American actor
Lawrence Payton (1938–1997), American singer, songwriter and record producer
Lucy Payton (1877–1969), American silent film actress
Mark Payton, baseball player
Mel Payton (1926–2001), American professional basketball player
Michael Payton (born 1970), former American football quarterback
Muirceartach Ua Peatáin (died 1178), Irish chieftain
Nicholas Payton (born 1973), American jazz trumpeter and keyboard player
Philip Payton (born 1953), British historian
Philip A. Payton, Jr. (1876–1917), African American real estate entrepreneur
Ross Payton, American writer, podcaster, layout artist, and movie director
Sean Payton (born 1963), American football coach, currently head coach of the New Orleans Saints
Stephen Payton, British Paralympian athlete
Sue C. Payton, American technologist, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force
Tony Payton (born 1981), American politician, member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Walter Payton (1954–1999), American football player
Walter Payton (musician) (1942–2010), American jazz bassist and sousaphonist
Wilfred Payton (1882–1943), English cricketer
Wilfred Payton (priest) (1913–1989), English clergyman and cricketer
