NameCensus.

UK surname

Bailie

A surname of Scottish origin referring to a bailiff or court officer.

In the 1881 census there were 415 people recorded with the Bailie surname, ranking it #7,763 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 454, ranked #10,732, down from #7,763 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Newcastle-under-Lyme, Clydesdale South and Darlington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bailie is 466 in 2015. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 9.4%.

1881 census count

415

Ranked #7,763

Modern count

454

2016, ranked #10,732

Peak year

2015

466 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bailie had 415 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,763 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016, ranked #10,732.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 415 in 1881.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bailie surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bailie surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bailie surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bailie over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 374 #6,376
1861 historical 283 #8,866
1881 historical 415 #7,763
1891 historical 356 #9,697
1901 historical 291 #11,893
1911 historical 134 #19,131
1997 modern 408 #10,844
1998 modern 453 #10,358
1999 modern 464 #10,216
2000 modern 450 #10,433
2001 modern 437 #10,482
2002 modern 464 #10,181
2003 modern 424 #10,789
2004 modern 434 #10,619
2005 modern 430 #10,575
2006 modern 411 #10,998
2007 modern 409 #11,182
2008 modern 418 #11,083
2009 modern 443 #10,821
2010 modern 463 #10,660
2011 modern 445 #10,880
2012 modern 446 #10,733
2013 modern 465 #10,569
2014 modern 463 #10,659
2015 modern 466 #10,552
2016 modern 454 #10,732

Geography

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Where Bailies are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Clydesdale South, Darlington, Rugby and Great Junction Street. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 London parishes London 1
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Newcastle-under-Lyme 009 Newcastle-under-Lyme
2 Clydesdale South South Lanarkshire
3 Darlington 009 Darlington
4 Rugby 007 Rugby
5 Great Junction Street City of Edinburgh

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bailie

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bailie surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bailie

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bailie, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Bailie surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bailie household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bailie is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bailie is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bailie falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bailie is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bailie, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bailie

The surname Bailie has its origins in Scotland, where it likely emerged in the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "baillie," meaning a bailiff or administrator responsible for managing lands or properties on behalf of a lord or landowner.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England following his invasion of Scotland. This includes entries for individuals with the surname Bailie, suggesting its use at that time.

During the Middle Ages, the Bailie surname was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Lowlands, where many individuals bearing this name held positions of authority as bailiffs or local officials. The name may also have connections to specific place names, such as Baillieston near Glasgow, which could have influenced the spelling and spread of the surname.

In the 16th century, the Bailie family was prominent in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh, with notable figures like Alexander Bailie (b. 1556 - d. 1639), a prominent merchant and burgess of the city. Another notable individual from this era was Robert Bailie (b. 1599 - d. 1662), a Scottish Presbyterian minister and theologian who played a significant role in the religious and political debates of his time.

Moving forward to the 17th century, the name Bailie continued to be associated with influential Scottish families. One example is David Bailie (b. 1619 - d. 1691), a Scottish landowner and member of the Parliament of Scotland, who represented Culross in the Convention of Estates.

In the 18th century, the Bailie surname gained further recognition with individuals like Joanna Baillie (b. 1762 - d. 1851), a renowned Scottish poet and dramatist whose works were widely acclaimed during her lifetime. Another notable figure from this period was Matthew Baillie (b. 1761 - d. 1823), a Scottish physician and pathologist who made significant contributions to the field of medicine.

As the centuries progressed, the Bailie surname spread beyond Scotland, with bearers of the name making their mark in various fields across the British Isles and beyond. From local officials and landowners to scholars, artists, and professionals, the Bailie name has left an indelible mark on history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bailie families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bailie surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lanarkshire leads with 85 Bailies recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.48x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 85 6.48x
Middlesex 41 1.01x
Lancashire 40 0.83x
Midlothian 37 6.81x
Renfrewshire 23 7.31x
Fife 17 7.08x
Cumberland 15 4.29x
Wigtownshire 15 27.84x
Ayrshire 14 4.61x
Yorkshire 12 0.30x
Surrey 11 0.56x
Dunbartonshire 10 9.17x
East Lothian 10 18.60x
Stirlingshire 9 6.01x
Angus 7 1.86x
Devon 7 0.83x
Northamptonshire 7 1.83x
Selkirkshire 6 16.34x
Durham 5 0.41x
Roxburghshire 5 6.80x
Argyllshire 4 3.54x
Worcestershire 4 0.75x
Aberdeenshire 3 0.80x
Essex 3 0.37x
Kent 3 0.22x
Perthshire 3 1.65x
West Lothian 3 4.91x
Caithness 2 3.60x
Gloucestershire 2 0.25x
Inverness-shire 2 1.65x
Westmorland 2 2.24x
Buteshire 1 4.07x
Clackmannanshire 1 2.98x
Dumfriesshire 1 1.12x
Hampshire 1 0.12x
Morayshire 1 1.59x
Oxfordshire 1 0.40x
Ross-shire 1 0.90x
Royal Navy 1 2.07x
Shropshire 1 0.29x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 19 Bailies recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.85x.

Place Total Index
Govan 19 5.85x
Barony 15 4.52x
Glasgow 15 6.44x
Kirkmaiden 14 410.56x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 12 5.49x
Kensington London 10 4.43x
Dalserf 9 68.70x
Islington London 9 2.29x
Cambusnethan 8 27.44x
Carnwath 8 98.64x
Denny 8 100.50x
Prestonpans 8 222.22x
East Greenock 7 23.57x
Failsworth 7 63.52x
Lasswade 7 56.32x
Liverpool 7 2.39x
Paisley Low Church 7 70.35x
Skerton 7 177.22x
South Leith 7 11.44x
Wellingborough 7 36.48x
Abdie 6 437.96x
Cardross 6 45.84x
Galashiels 6 44.22x
Middlesbrough 6 11.46x
Stoke Damerel 6 10.15x
Cavers 5 271.74x
Crosscanonby 5 43.29x
Cupar 5 47.85x
Dalziel 5 35.41x
Kilmarnock 5 13.84x
Lambeth 5 1.41x
Limehouse London 5 11.22x
Maryhill 5 19.46x
Poulton Barre 5 91.24x
Battersea 4 2.68x
Cleator 4 27.51x
Dundee 4 2.85x
Dysart 4 24.72x
Edinburgh St Marys 4 37.84x
Little Bolton 4 6.46x
Paisley Middle Church 4 21.85x
Rusholme 4 31.15x
St Luke London 4 6.15x
St Pancras London 4 1.22x
Stourbridge 4 29.35x
Campbeltown 3 22.01x
Colchester St James 3 92.31x
Dearham 3 65.08x
Edinburgh Old 3 90.91x
Haswell 3 34.68x
Kilwinning 3 30.58x
Walton On Hill 3 11.50x
Willesden 3 7.84x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 2 2.84x
Bow London 2 3.87x
Cheetham 2 5.57x
Gomersal 2 10.66x
Irvine 2 23.70x
Kilbirnie 2 27.43x
Kirkintilloch 2 13.50x
Linlithgow 2 25.51x
Old Kilpatrick 2 15.52x
Paddington London 2 1.34x
Renfrew 2 19.27x
Richmond 2 31.85x
St Cuthbert W O 2 11.74x
West Greenock 2 3.54x
Alloa 1 6.15x
Ayr 1 6.98x
Bradford 1 1.03x
Broughton In Preston 1 120.48x
Culross 1 63.29x
Dunbar 1 13.26x
Gillingham 1 3.50x
Heworth 1 4.20x
Inveresk 1 6.79x
Kirkhill 1 48.54x
Nuffield 1 333.33x
Undermilbeck 1 34.01x
Woolwich 1 1.96x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bailie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bailie surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 11
Thomas 7
Charles 5
George 5
William 5
Richard 4
Robert 4
Arthur 3
Hugh 3
James 3
Walter 3
David 2
Edward 2
Francis 2
Frederick 2
Samuel 2
Albert 1
Alex 1
Andrew 1
Benjamin 1
Charlie 1
Ernest 1
Gilbert 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Infant 1
Joseph 1
Jospeph 1
Thos.Jerome 1
Thos.Seymour 1
Willm.Hy. 1

FAQ

Bailie surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bailie surname in 1881?

In 1881, 415 people were recorded with the Bailie surname. That placed it at #7,763 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bailie surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016. That gives Bailie a modern rank of #10,732.

What does the Bailie surname mean?

A surname of Scottish origin referring to a bailiff or court officer.

What does the Bailie map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bailie bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.