NameCensus.

UK surname

Bailiff

An occupational surname referring to an officer responsible for court order.

In the 1881 census there were 97 people recorded with the Bailiff surname, ranking it #20,127 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 116, ranked #28,197, down from #20,127 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Dregg, Workington (Workington), Clossocks and Egremont. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Allerdale, Cheshire West and Chester and Test Valley.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bailiff is 160 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.6%.

1881 census count

97

Ranked #20,127

Modern count

116

2016, ranked #28,197

Peak year

1891

160 bearers

Map years

8

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bailiff had 97 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #20,127 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016, ranked #28,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 160 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bailiff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bailiff surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bailiff 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 100 #17,164
1861 historical 113 #19,151
1881 historical 97 #20,127
1891 historical 160 #17,555
1901 historical 151 #17,988
1911 historical 122 #20,245
1997 modern 120 #24,158
1998 modern 124 #24,316
1999 modern 132 #23,602
2000 modern 127 #24,121
2001 modern 129 #23,557
2002 modern 136 #23,296
2003 modern 130 #23,672
2004 modern 130 #23,902
2005 modern 124 #24,529
2006 modern 124 #24,750
2007 modern 127 #24,748
2008 modern 128 #24,901
2009 modern 124 #25,957
2010 modern 121 #27,005
2011 modern 113 #27,967
2012 modern 110 #28,514
2013 modern 116 #27,992
2014 modern 120 #27,646
2015 modern 122 #27,245
2016 modern 116 #28,197

Geography

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Where Bailiffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Dregg, Workington (Workington), Clossocks, Egremont, Barton and Brotherton. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Allerdale, Cheshire West and Chester, Test Valley and Welwyn Hatfield. 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 Dregg Cumberland
2 Workington (Workington), Clossocks Cumberland
3 Egremont Cumberland
4 Barton Westmorland
5 Brotherton Yorkshire, West Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Allerdale 004 Allerdale
2 Cheshire West and Chester 027 Cheshire West and Chester
3 Test Valley 012 Test Valley
4 Welwyn Hatfield 016 Welwyn Hatfield
5 Cheshire West and Chester 032 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bailiff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bailiff

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bailiff, 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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Bailiff surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bailiff household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Bailiff is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bailiff is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bailiff falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

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

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bailiff 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 Bailiff, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bailiff

The surname "BAILIFF" is of Anglo-Norman origin, deriving from the Old French word "baillif" which means "officer of justice". It emerged in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066, when Norman French administrators and officials were appointed to oversee legal and administrative affairs throughout the English territories.

The name is associated with the feudal system, where bailiffs were appointed by lords or landowners to manage their estates, collect rents, and enforce laws within their jurisdiction. They held a position of authority and responsibility, often acting as intermediaries between the local population and the ruling class.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "BAILIFF" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and property rights commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various forms, such as "Baillivus" and "Baillif", reflecting the evolving spelling variations common during that era.

In the 12th century, the name "BAILIFF" is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls, which were financial records maintained by the Exchequer of England. These rolls document the activities and responsibilities of bailiffs in collecting taxes and managing royal estates.

Notable individuals with the surname "BAILIFF" throughout history include:

1. Sir William Bailiff (c. 1330-1399), an English judge and Chief Justice of the Common Pleas during the reign of Richard II. 2. John Bailiff (c. 1510-1592), an English Protestant martyr who was burned at the stake for his religious beliefs during the Marian Persecutions. 3. Samuel Bailiff (1768-1845), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. 4. Henry Bailiff (1859-1931), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century. 5. Gwendoline Bailiff (1899-1981), a British artist and sculptor known for her portraiture and religious works, including sculptures at Salisbury Cathedral and Westminster Abbey.

The surname "BAILIFF" has also been associated with various place names, such as Bailiff Bridge in West Yorkshire, England, and Bailiff Gate in Lincolnshire, which may have derived their names from the presence of bailiffs or their administrative roles in those areas.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bailiff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bailiff 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. Cumberland leads with 28 Bailiffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 33.68x.

County Total Index
Cumberland 28 33.68x
Lancashire 28 2.44x
Yorkshire 14 1.46x
Denbighshire 5 13.71x
Westmorland 5 23.56x
Middlesex 4 0.41x
Hampshire 3 1.52x
Kirkcudbrightshire 3 21.46x
Lanarkshire 3 0.96x
Channel Islands 2 6.99x
Cheshire 1 0.47x
Kent 1 0.30x
Monmouthshire 1 1.43x
Northumberland 1 0.70x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Barrow In Furness in Lancashire leads with 9 Bailiffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 57.77x.

Place Total Index
Barrow In Furness 9 57.77x
Ulverston 8 239.52x
Wombwell 7 250.90x
Egremont 6 303.03x
Dearham 5 454.55x
Liverpool 5 7.19x
Ruabon 5 99.60x
Workington 5 105.04x
Drigg Carleton 4 2105.26x
Almondbury 3 64.79x
Girthon 3 638.30x
Hamilton 3 34.44x
Keswick 3 283.02x
Brough 2 952.38x
Martindale 2 4000.00x
Portsea 2 5.16x
Rosedale West Side 2 2000.00x
St Anne 2 392.16x
St Pancras London 2 2.57x
Whitehaven 2 45.15x
Arkholme With Cawood 1 1000.00x
Birkenhead 1 5.89x
Brightside Bierlow 1 5.33x
Caldewgate 1 21.98x
Cheetham 1 11.70x
Church Coniston 1 312.50x
Elswick 1 8.72x
High Barton 1 833.33x
Holy Rood 1 250.00x
Horton Kirby 1 196.08x
Hulme 1 4.18x
Lea Ashton Ingol 1 131.58x
Llanthewy Skirrid 1 2500.00x
Lower Allithwaite 1 370.37x
Penrith 1 32.57x
Pollington 1 769.23x
Shoreditch London 1 2.39x
St Bees 1 263.16x
St George Hanover Square 1 5.88x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 9
Annie 4
Ann 3
Ellen 3
Esther 3
Sarah 3
Elizabeth 2
Jane 2
Philadelphia 2
Ada 1
Alice 1
Cathern 1
Edith 1
Eliza 1
Elizabth 1
Elizth. 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Margaret 1
My. 1
Phebe 1
Pheebe 1
Phoebe 1
Sar. 1
Susan 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 10
William 7
James 5
Thomas 3
George 2
Henry 2
Richard 2
Samuel 2
Edward 1
Hiram 1
Jerrard 1
Johnstom 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Thos. 1
Walter 1

FAQ

Bailiff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bailiff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 97 people were recorded with the Bailiff surname. That placed it at #20,127 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bailiff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 116 in 2016. That gives Bailiff a modern rank of #28,197.

What does the Bailiff surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to an officer responsible for court order.

What does the Bailiff map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bailiff 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.