"Take heed" vs "pay heed"

Are there any difference in meaning between "take heed" and "pay heed"?

I notice from Google Ngram that "pay heed" is becoming more common as "take heed" is becoming less used. However, it seems that "pay heed" is somewhat redundant, since "heed" can be defined as "pay attention to". The fact that "give heed" is also used lends favor to "take heed".

My question is, is there a difference in meaning that gave rise to "pay heed", and which is preferred?

To take/pay heed are just a formal way to say pay attention. There is no difference in meaning between the two expressions:.

• (formal) If you take heed of what someone says or if you pay heed to them, you pay attention to them and consider carefully what they say. ■ EG: ⇒ But what if the government takes no heed?

Collins Dictionary

Heed:

• is an old word, meaning to listen to and follow. It can also be used as a noun: "Take heed of my instructions, little boy," said the old bearded man. "My potion will only work for the one who wears the ring."
• The most common use of heed is with warnings. The word derives from Old English hēdan and is related to the Dutch hoeden and German hüten––from Germanic cultures where fairy tales with mysterious warnings and magical consequences abound.

Vocabolary.com