NameCensus.

UK surname

Baily

An English occupational surname referring to a steward or official in charge of a castle or fortified town.

In the 1881 census there were 1,890 people recorded with the Baily surname, ranking it #2,303 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 740, ranked #7,378, down from #2,303 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Keinton Mansfield. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include East Devon, New Forest and Gwynedd.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Baily is 2,127 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 60.8%.

1881 census count

1,890

Ranked #2,303

Modern count

740

2016, ranked #7,378

Peak year

1851

2,127 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Baily had 1,890 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,303 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 740 in 2016, ranked #7,378.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 2,127 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Spacious Rural Living.

Baily surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Baily surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Baily 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 2,127 #1,370
1861 historical 2,069 #1,397
1881 historical 1,890 #2,303
1891 historical 1,768 #2,581
1901 historical 1,333 #3,757
1911 historical 1,282 #3,712
1997 modern 689 #7,337
1998 modern 703 #7,455
1999 modern 705 #7,474
2000 modern 727 #7,282
2001 modern 718 #7,222
2002 modern 750 #7,108
2003 modern 731 #7,145
2004 modern 736 #7,119
2005 modern 711 #7,237
2006 modern 688 #7,468
2007 modern 684 #7,568
2008 modern 702 #7,463
2009 modern 712 #7,539
2010 modern 723 #7,590
2011 modern 694 #7,738
2012 modern 708 #7,543
2013 modern 729 #7,497
2014 modern 738 #7,476
2015 modern 734 #7,448
2016 modern 740 #7,378

Geography

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Where Bailys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Keinton Mansfield and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to East Devon, New Forest, Gwynedd, Huntingdonshire and Mid Devon. 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 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Keinton Mansfield Somerset
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 East Devon 009 East Devon
2 New Forest 016 New Forest
3 Gwynedd 016 Gwynedd
4 Huntingdonshire 007 Huntingdonshire
5 Mid Devon 003 Mid Devon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Baily

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Baily

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Spacious Rural Living

Nationally, the Baily surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Spacious Rural Living, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Baily household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly ageing households typically have no resident dependent children. Most are owner-occupiers and live in detached houses in low density residential developments (although renting is more common than in the rest of the Supergroup). White ethnicity predominates. Residents are typically beyond retirement age but those still in work have managerial, professional or skilled trade occupations. White ethnicity and Christian religious affiliation predominate. Neighbourhoods are located throughout rural UK.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Baily 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

Baily 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

Baily falls in decile 5 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.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Baily is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

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

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Baily

The surname Baily is derived from the Old French word 'baillie', which means an enclosed area of land or an administrative division. The name has its origins in Normandy, France, and is believed to have emerged in the 11th century.

Baily was initially an occupational surname given to those who held the position of a bailiff or a local magistrate responsible for enforcing laws and collecting taxes. The first recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror.

During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name Baily became widespread across England, particularly in the counties of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, and Leicestershire. Some notable early bearers of the name include Roger Baily, who was recorded as a landowner in Northamptonshire in 1199, and William Baily, a merchant from Leicester mentioned in a charter dated 1275.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings such as Bayly, Baylie, and Baylie-Hamilton, reflecting regional pronunciation variations. One prominent individual from this period was John Baily, a philosopher and theologian who lived from 1285 to 1349 and was known for his works on logic and metaphysics.

The 16th and 17th centuries saw the emergence of several notable figures with the surname Baily. Among them were Sir Walter Baily (1529-1592), an English soldier and politician who served as Governor of Guernsey, and Nathaniel Baily (1615-1684), a Puritan minister and author who was a prominent figure in the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Baily name continued to be associated with various professions and pursuits. Some notable bearers include Francis Baily (1774-1844), an English astronomer and mathematician who made significant contributions to the study of comets and the Earth's density, and Edward Hodges Baily (1788-1867), a renowned British sculptor best known for his marble sculptures adorning the base of Nelson's Column in London.

Throughout its history, the surname Baily has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artists, scientists, lawyers, and military personnel. While the name's origins can be traced back to Normandy and the administrative roles of bailiffs, it has since become a widespread surname across various countries and cultures.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Baily families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Baily 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. Middlesex leads with 260 Bailys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.41x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 260 1.41x
Surrey 183 2.03x
Somerset 156 5.24x
Lancashire 118 0.54x
Wiltshire 118 7.22x
Yorkshire 114 0.62x
Kent 90 1.43x
Hampshire 86 2.27x
Essex 60 1.64x
Lincolnshire 56 1.89x
Staffordshire 48 0.77x
Durham 46 0.84x
Norfolk 45 1.58x
Gloucestershire 43 1.19x
Devon 36 0.94x
Warwickshire 35 0.75x
Shropshire 34 2.13x
Hertfordshire 32 2.51x
Sussex 31 0.99x
Cornwall 29 1.39x
Berkshire 22 1.59x
Dorset 22 1.81x
Glamorgan 22 0.68x
Nottinghamshire 19 0.76x
Brecknockshire 16 4.33x
Derbyshire 16 0.55x
Cumberland 15 0.94x
Cheshire 14 0.34x
Channel Islands 13 2.37x
Oxfordshire 12 1.05x
Suffolk 12 0.53x
Leicestershire 11 0.54x
Northamptonshire 10 0.58x
Monmouthshire 9 0.67x
Angus 8 0.47x
Midlothian 8 0.32x
Buckinghamshire 7 0.63x
Worcestershire 7 0.29x
Cambridgeshire 6 0.51x
Caernarfonshire 5 0.67x
Herefordshire 5 0.66x
Cardiganshire 4 0.89x
Bedfordshire 2 0.21x
Perthshire 2 0.24x
Royal Navy 2 0.91x
Aberdeenshire 1 0.06x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.13x
Lanarkshire 1 0.02x
Montgomeryshire 1 0.24x
Northumberland 1 0.04x
Pembrokeshire 1 0.17x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Frome in Somerset leads with 36 Bailys recorded in 1881 and an index of 50.58x.

Place Total Index
Frome 36 50.58x
Lambeth 26 1.61x
St Pancras London 26 1.75x
Glastonbury 22 90.57x
St Marylebone London 22 2.23x
Birmingham 21 1.35x
Trowbridge 20 27.68x
Kensington London 19 1.85x
Southwark St George Martyr 19 5.11x
Portsea 18 2.42x
Clitheroe 16 24.78x
Paddington London 16 2.35x
Westminster St John 16 7.11x
Clerkenwell London 15 3.44x
Liverpool 15 1.13x
Plymouth St Andrew 15 5.06x
Ashwell 14 140.00x
Camberwell 14 1.19x
Hornsey 14 5.99x
Llangattock 14 46.50x
Aldeby 13 319.41x
Cranborne 13 88.62x
Ecclesall Bierlow 13 3.49x
Hackney London 13 1.25x
Maidstone 13 6.92x
West Ham 13 1.61x
Alverstoke 12 8.75x
Bermondsey 12 2.18x
Clapham 12 5.19x
Newington 12 1.76x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 11 3.22x
Bromley London 11 2.70x
Charlton 11 229.65x
Chertsey 11 18.90x
Islington London 11 0.61x
Leeds 11 1.06x
Swindon 11 8.67x
Whitechapel London 11 6.04x
Wimbledon 11 10.88x
Bishopwearmouth 10 2.12x
Ealing 10 6.05x
Kilkhampton 10 162.07x
Kirkdale 10 2.71x
Lilstock 10 1694.92x
Merstham 10 175.13x
Prittlewell 10 19.77x
Rickmansworth 10 28.51x
St Helier 10 5.61x
Terrington St Clement 10 77.88x
Calne 9 26.74x
Gosberton 9 68.55x
Greenwich 9 3.06x
Hammersmith London 9 1.98x
Linthwaite 9 23.38x
Madeley 9 15.37x
Manchester 9 0.91x
Banbury 8 35.00x
Boldon 8 40.82x
Gate Fulford 8 18.70x
Gateshead 8 1.94x
Leicester St Margaret 8 1.60x
Monifieth 8 13.23x
Nazeing 8 170.58x
Portishead 8 36.17x
Ramsgate 8 7.77x
St George Hanover Square 8 2.46x
Aberford 7 169.49x
Andover 7 19.55x
Ashwick 7 145.53x
Barwick 7 234.11x
Brighton 7 1.11x
Clifton 7 3.82x
Handsworth 7 4.55x
Heworth 7 6.46x
Kenninghall 7 89.74x
Peldon 7 241.38x
Penarth 7 22.26x
Pudsey 7 7.15x
St Budeaux 7 58.43x
Tibshelf 7 49.30x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 112
Elizabeth 71
Sarah 63
Ann 42
Eliza 37
Alice 35
Emma 34
Jane 30
Annie 29
Ellen 22
Emily 22
Caroline 18
Fanny 17
Hannah 17
Florence 16
Louisa 16
Kate 15
Lucy 12
Margaret 12
Rose 12
Charlotte 11
Edith 11
Catherine 10
Julia 10
Minnie 10
Anne 9
Maria 9
Ada 8
Amelia 8
Clara 8
Frances 8
Harriet 8
Matilda 8
Rachel 8
Susan 8
Betsy 7
Martha 7
Elizth. 6
Harriett 6
Sophia 6
Agnes 5
Beatrice 5
Eleanor 5
Jessie 5
Lydia 5
May 5
Ethel 4
Rosa 4
Ruth 4
Susanna 4

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 126
John 115
George 62
Thomas 49
James 48
Henry 37
Charles 34
Joseph 30
Edward 25
Robert 22
Alfred 19
Arthur 18
Samuel 17
Walter 16
Harry 15
Herbert 13
Albert 11
Frederick 10
Ernest 9
Richard 8
Benjamin 6
Francis 6
Stephen 6
Wm. 6
Fredk. 5
David 4
Willm. 4
Christopher 3
Cornelius 3
Edmund 3
Frank 3
Fred. 3
Geo. 3
Abraham 2
Adam 2
Alexander 2
Arnold 2
Bartholemew 2
Daniel 2
Horace 2
Hugh 2
Josiah 2
Laurence 2
Mathew 2
Percy 2
Robt. 2
Saml. 2
T. 2
Thos. 2
W. 2

FAQ

Baily surname: questions and answers

How common was the Baily surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,890 people were recorded with the Baily surname. That placed it at #2,303 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Baily surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 740 in 2016. That gives Baily a modern rank of #7,378.

What does the Baily surname mean?

An English occupational surname referring to a steward or official in charge of a castle or fortified town.

What does the Baily map show?

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