Eleven cases of multiple papillomatosis of the lower respiratory tract are reported and the clinicopathologic picture is studied. These cases include some extremely rare varieties and a 44‐year follow‐up. When the disease starts during childhood, it usually appears to be self‐limiting if properly managed. In adults, however, the disease sometimes runs a more protracted course with a higher risk of developing cancer. This study illustrates the difficulties of management and diagnosis and establishes the disease as a definite clinicopathologic entity.