NameCensus.

UK surname

Bayes

An English and Scottish locational surname derived from various places in England and Scotland named Baye or Bathe.

In the 1881 census there were 893 people recorded with the Bayes surname, ranking it #4,264 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,193, ranked #4,993, down from #4,264 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory and Rushden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wellingborough, Scarborough and East Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bayes is 1,437 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 33.6%.

1881 census count

893

Ranked #4,264

Modern count

1,193

2016, ranked #4,993

Peak year

1911

1,437 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bayes had 893 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #4,264 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,193 in 2016, ranked #4,993.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,437 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bayes surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bayes surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bayes 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 560 #4,524
1861 historical 695 #3,885
1881 historical 893 #4,264
1891 historical 1,237 #3,490
1901 historical 1,366 #3,675
1911 historical 1,437 #3,364
1997 modern 1,272 #4,479
1998 modern 1,303 #4,559
1999 modern 1,278 #4,666
2000 modern 1,280 #4,643
2001 modern 1,239 #4,672
2002 modern 1,273 #4,663
2003 modern 1,199 #4,808
2004 modern 1,198 #4,815
2005 modern 1,188 #4,809
2006 modern 1,154 #4,920
2007 modern 1,146 #4,999
2008 modern 1,163 #4,957
2009 modern 1,152 #5,127
2010 modern 1,183 #5,106
2011 modern 1,169 #5,095
2012 modern 1,152 #5,081
2013 modern 1,190 #5,023
2014 modern 1,209 #4,983
2015 modern 1,204 #4,956
2016 modern 1,193 #4,993

Geography

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Where Bayes' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory, Rushden, Kidderminster and Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wellingborough, Scarborough and East Northamptonshire. 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 Northampton St Giles, Northampton St Sepulchre, Northampton Priory Northamptonshire
3 Rushden Northamptonshire
4 Kidderminster Worcestershire
5 Lakenham , Eaton St Andrew, Town Close, St Stephen, St Peter Mancroft, St Giles, St Andrew, St John Norfolk

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wellingborough 010 Wellingborough
2 Scarborough 006 Scarborough
3 Scarborough 008 Scarborough
4 Scarborough 009 Scarborough
5 East Northamptonshire 009 East Northamptonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bayes

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bayes

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bayes, 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 Bayes surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bayes 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, Bayes 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

Bayes is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bayes 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 Bayes 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 Bayes, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bayes

The surname Bayes originates from England and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "bai", meaning reddish-brown, and was likely given as a nickname to someone with reddish-brown hair or complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, where it appears as "William le Bay". This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive byname before becoming a hereditary surname.

In the 14th century, the name was also found in various forms, such as "Bayes" and "Bays", in records from counties like Somerset, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. This indicates that the name had spread across different regions of England during this period.

The Bayes surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most prominent was Thomas Bayes (c. 1701–1761), an English mathematician and Presbyterian minister, who is best known for formulating Bayes' theorem, a fundamental concept in probability theory and statistics.

Another notable figure was Walter Bayes (1592–1633), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Bramfield in Suffolk. He published several works, including "A Summary of Pious Meditations" and "The Mistery of Beholding the Serpents" in the early 17th century.

In the 18th century, William Bayes (1708–1773) was a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings, including the Radcliffe Infirmary and the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Oxford.

During the 19th century, Samuel Bayes (1822–1887) was a British botanist and author who wrote extensively on the flora of Yorkshire and published works such as "The Yorkshire Floras" and "The Phanerogams of Yorkshire".

Another notable bearer of the surname was Ralph Bayes (1867–1938), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club and represented England in Test matches against Australia and South Africa.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bayes families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bayes 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. Northamptonshire leads with 175 Bayes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 21.36x.

County Total Index
Northamptonshire 175 21.36x
Yorkshire 141 1.63x
Norfolk 119 8.88x
Middlesex 110 1.26x
Bedfordshire 64 14.19x
Worcestershire 59 5.19x
Lincolnshire 30 2.15x
Nottinghamshire 29 2.47x
Durham 28 1.08x
Surrey 23 0.54x
Lancashire 21 0.20x
Kent 20 0.67x
Warwickshire 17 0.77x
Leicestershire 12 1.24x
Staffordshire 11 0.37x
Cumberland 5 0.67x
Hampshire 5 0.28x
Northumberland 5 0.39x
Oxfordshire 5 0.93x
Suffolk 5 0.47x
Devon 3 0.17x
Ayrshire 1 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 1 0.19x
Derbyshire 1 0.07x
Essex 1 0.06x
Hertfordshire 1 0.17x
Monmouthshire 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. Wellingborough in Northamptonshire leads with 33 Bayes' recorded in 1881 and an index of 80.10x.

Place Total Index
Wellingborough 33 80.10x
Kidderminster Borough 30 45.06x
Rushden 30 273.72x
Kensington London 25 5.16x
Sharnbrook 24 960.00x
Odell 18 1428.57x
Ecton 17 923.91x
Chelsea London 16 6.10x
Isham 16 1403.51x
Kettering 14 42.25x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 13 32.33x
Weaverthorpe 13 677.08x
Flamborough 12 287.08x
Irchester 12 235.76x
Bromley 11 24.28x
Bromley London 11 5.74x
Everton 11 564.10x
Chesterton 10 1724.14x
Northampton St Sepulchre 10 23.99x
Beeford 9 424.53x
Gateshead 9 4.64x
Irthlingborough 9 112.08x
Northampton Priory St 9 18.31x
Thorne 9 84.03x
Willesden 9 10.96x
Wramplingham 8 1454.55x
Attleborough 7 103.40x
Barnsley 7 7.86x
Biddenham 7 752.69x
Gainsborough 7 21.32x
Holy Trinity 7 3.37x
Leicester St Margaret 7 2.97x
Sedgley 7 6.41x
St Peterat Gowts Lincoln 7 35.73x
Bermondsey 6 2.31x
Coulsdon 6 77.72x
Great Yarmouth 6 5.41x
Heigham 6 8.35x
Hemblington 6 857.14x
Islington London 6 0.71x
Lakenham 6 31.53x
North Kilvington 6 2307.69x
Northampton All Sts 6 21.58x
Paddington London 6 1.87x
Poddington 6 370.37x
Spalding 6 21.71x
Stone 6 322.58x
Sutton Stoneferry 6 24.29x
Walton Le Dale 6 21.60x
Besthorpe 5 342.47x
Boston 5 11.83x
Crayford 5 38.52x
Hampstead London 5 3.69x
Higham Ferrers 5 112.36x
Hingham 5 107.76x
Hipperholme Cum 5 13.18x
Liverpool 5 0.80x
Mordon 5 980.39x
Muston 5 423.73x
Oldham 5 1.50x
Poplar London 5 3.04x
Saundby 5 1470.59x
St Marylebone London 5 1.08x
St Pancras London 5 0.71x
Whitehaven 5 12.51x
Worcester St Nicholas 5 92.76x
Yardley 5 17.18x
Beighton 4 493.83x
Birtley 4 37.81x
Diss 4 34.84x
Doncaster 4 6.34x
Ebberston 4 225.99x
Hartley Wintney 4 74.49x
Limehouse London 4 4.18x
Little Harrowden 4 161.94x
Little Walsingham 4 132.01x
Norwich St John Sepulchre 4 46.03x
Snaith Cowick 4 77.52x
Stranton 4 4.59x
Thurlton 4 320.00x

Top female names

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

Name Count
John 55
William 51
Thomas 29
James 28
Charles 25
George 25
Robert 14
Alfred 13
Samuel 12
Joseph 11
Arthur 10
Frederick 9
Henry 9
Richard 9
Edward 8
Herbert 8
Walter 8
Francis 4
Harry 4
Tom 4
Albert 3
Benjamin 3
David 3
Frank 3
Anthony 2
Coles 2
Edwin 2
Elijah 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Geo. 2
Gerald 2
Harrison 2
Horatio 2
Mary 2
Owen 2
Palmer 2
Stephen 2
Thos. 2
Archibald 1
Daniel 1
Ebenezer 1
Freddy 1
Frederic 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Mark 1
May 1
Michael 1
Wm.T. 1

FAQ

Bayes surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bayes surname in 1881?

In 1881, 893 people were recorded with the Bayes surname. That placed it at #4,264 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bayes surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,193 in 2016. That gives Bayes a modern rank of #4,993.

What does the Bayes surname mean?

An English and Scottish locational surname derived from various places in England and Scotland named Baye or Bathe.

What does the Bayes map show?

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