NameCensus.

UK surname

Bally

A surname derived from the French word "baillie" meaning a bailiff or municipal officer.

In the 1881 census there were 131 people recorded with the Bally surname, ranking it #16,824 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 128, ranked #26,401, down from #16,824 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Pancras, Manchester and Great Amwell, Broxbourne (Hoddesdon). In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Chesterfield, Powys and Oxford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bally is 243 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has stayed broadly stable by 2.3%.

1881 census count

131

Ranked #16,824

Modern count

128

2016, ranked #26,401

Peak year

1861

243 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bally had 131 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,824 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016, ranked #26,401.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 243 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Bally surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bally surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bally 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 112 #15,913
1861 historical 243 #10,116
1881 historical 131 #16,824
1891 historical 209 #14,459
1901 historical 90 #24,021
1911 historical 78 #25,013
1997 modern 98 #27,179
1998 modern 102 #27,314
1999 modern 101 #27,617
2000 modern 100 #27,695
2001 modern 102 #27,093
2002 modern 105 #27,123
2003 modern 103 #27,234
2004 modern 107 #26,899
2005 modern 110 #26,430
2006 modern 118 #25,556
2007 modern 120 #25,606
2008 modern 119 #26,067
2009 modern 115 #27,207
2010 modern 109 #28,831
2011 modern 114 #27,784
2012 modern 114 #27,868
2013 modern 120 #27,406
2014 modern 124 #27,049
2015 modern 126 #26,654
2016 modern 128 #26,401

Geography

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Where Ballys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Pancras, Manchester, Great Amwell, Broxbourne (Hoddesdon), Weston and Walcott, Charlcome. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Chesterfield, Powys, Oxford, Sheffield and Bath and North East Somerset. 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 St Pancras London (North Districts)
2 Manchester Lancashire
3 Great Amwell, Broxbourne (Hoddesdon) Hertfordshire
4 Weston Somerset
5 Walcott, Charlcome Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Chesterfield 002 Chesterfield
2 Powys 015 Powys
3 Oxford 015 Oxford
4 Sheffield 065 Sheffield
5 Bath and North East Somerset 016 Bath and North East Somerset

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bally

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bally

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bally, 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 Bally surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Bally 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins

Within London, Bally is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector and Diverse Origins, 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

Scattered across London’s Inner and Outer suburbs, residents of these neighbourhoods are typically housed in the social rented sector. Although terraced and semi-detached houses predominate, more residents live in flats than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Neighbourhoods are more ethnically diverse than the Supergroup average. Those identifying as of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and some Black ethnicities are more prevalent. Europeans born in a overseas non-EU countries make up more of the lower proportion of residents identifying as White. Few residents are very old (85+). Employment in distribution, hotels and restaurants is more common than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bally is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bally falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bally is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bally

The surname Bally originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. It is derived from the Old English word "balca," which means "ridge" or "bank." The name likely referred to someone who lived near a ridge or bank, possibly a farmer or landowner.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Bally can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landowners and property holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The Domesday Book mentions a landowner named Balli in the county of Gloucestershire.

During the Middle Ages, the name Bally was prevalent in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Devon. Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries show variations in spelling, such as Balli, Baly, and Balye.

In the 16th century, a notable figure with the surname Bally was Thomas Bally (c. 1515-1584), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament for Exeter during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual was Sir John Bally (1585-1649), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Devonshire. He served as the Mayor of Plymouth and played a crucial role in supporting the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

During the 17th century, the Bally surname was also found in Scotland, particularly in the Lowlands. One noteworthy person was Robert Bally (1641-1718), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who served as the moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1704.

In the 18th century, the Bally surname gained recognition with the birth of James Bally (1735-1802), a successful English merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Bristol. He founded several charitable institutions and was instrumental in the establishment of the Bristol Infirmary.

Another prominent figure was Sir Edward Bally (1760-1838), a British naval officer who served with distinction during the Napoleonic Wars. He was knighted for his bravery and leadership in several significant battles against the French fleet.

Over the centuries, the surname Bally has been associated with various place names in England, such as Bally Hill in Devonshire and Bally Lane in Somerset. These place names likely derived from the Old English word "balca," reflecting the connection between the surname and geographical features.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bally families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bally 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 22 Ballys recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.71x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 22 1.71x
Somerset 22 10.62x
Yorkshire 18 1.41x
Lancashire 14 0.92x
Kent 12 2.73x
Durham 8 2.09x
Devon 6 2.24x
Warwickshire 6 1.85x
Hertfordshire 4 4.51x
Lincolnshire 4 1.94x
Buckinghamshire 3 3.85x
Nottinghamshire 3 1.73x
Angus 2 1.68x
Essex 2 0.79x
Channel Islands 1 2.62x
Cheshire 1 0.35x
Cornwall 1 0.69x
Lanarkshire 1 0.24x
Northumberland 1 0.52x
Surrey 1 0.16x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Walcot in Somerset leads with 19 Ballys recorded in 1881 and an index of 172.10x.

Place Total Index
Walcot 19 172.10x
Lewisham 9 38.43x
Orell Ford 9 3214.29x
Finchley 7 141.70x
Mexborough 7 276.68x
St Pancras London 6 5.79x
Aston 5 5.59x
Heworth 5 66.23x
Marldon 5 2272.73x
Barrow On Humber 4 336.13x
Horbury 4 179.37x
Bishopwearmouth 3 9.12x
Chorlton On Medlock 3 12.36x
Deptford St Paul 3 8.85x
Hampstead London 3 14.96x
Radford 3 34.01x
Weston 3 188.68x
Baldock 2 240.96x
Doncaster 2 21.46x
Great Burstead 2 215.05x
Hitchin 2 49.88x
Holy Trinity St Mary 2 103.09x
Limehouse London 2 14.15x
Stony Stratford East 2 625.00x
Tannadice 2 357.14x
Birkenhead 1 4.41x
Bootle Cum Linacre 1 8.24x
Cambusnethan 1 10.81x
Duloe 1 232.56x
Elswick 1 6.54x
Hampton In Arden 1 344.83x
Huddersfield 1 5.38x
Islington London 1 0.80x
Kensington London 1 1.40x
Lambeth 1 0.89x
Oldham 1 2.03x
Sandal Magna 1 52.91x
Scarborough 1 8.63x
St George Hanover Square 1 4.41x
St Marylebone London 1 1.45x
St Saviour 1 47.39x
Totnes 1 63.69x
Wolverton 1 62.11x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 8
Edward 4
Henry 4
Alfred 3
George 3
William 3
Frederick 2
Isaac 2
James 2
Joseph 2
Louis 2
Thomas 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Arnold 1
Arthur 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Edgar 1
Ernest 1
Frank 1
H.T.G. 1
Harold 1
Harry 1
Jas. 1
Jno. 1
Levi 1
Robert 1
Robt.B. 1
Stanislaus 1
Walter 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Bally surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bally surname in 1881?

In 1881, 131 people were recorded with the Bally surname. That placed it at #16,824 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bally surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 128 in 2016. That gives Bally a modern rank of #26,401.

What does the Bally surname mean?

A surname derived from the French word "baillie" meaning a bailiff or municipal officer.

What does the Bally map show?

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