NameCensus.

UK surname

Bayliff

A local official responsible for enforcing court orders and arrest warrants.

In the 1881 census there were 181 people recorded with the Bayliff surname, ranking it #13,690 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 155, ranked #23,197, down from #13,690 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Millom, Muncaster, Urswick and Aldingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Barrow-in-Furness, Copeland and Allerdale.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bayliff is 240 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 14.4%.

1881 census count

181

Ranked #13,690

Modern count

155

2016, ranked #23,197

Peak year

1901

240 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bayliff had 181 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #13,690 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016, ranked #23,197.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 240 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Bayliff surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bayliff surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bayliff 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 109 #16,212
1861 historical 162 #14,310
1881 historical 181 #13,690
1891 historical 207 #14,546
1901 historical 240 #13,461
1911 historical 237 #13,406
1997 modern 177 #19,018
1998 modern 168 #20,181
1999 modern 176 #19,722
2000 modern 171 #20,044
2001 modern 163 #20,372
2002 modern 172 #20,108
2003 modern 173 #19,834
2004 modern 176 #19,731
2005 modern 163 #20,627
2006 modern 162 #20,886
2007 modern 158 #21,464
2008 modern 162 #21,350
2009 modern 158 #22,168
2010 modern 158 #22,692
2011 modern 155 #22,790
2012 modern 147 #23,567
2013 modern 152 #23,438
2014 modern 153 #23,537
2015 modern 157 #22,997
2016 modern 155 #23,197

Geography

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Where Bayliffs are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Millom, Muncaster, Urswick, Aldingham, Almondbury and Dalton-in-Furness. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Barrow-in-Furness, Copeland, Allerdale and Conwy. 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 Millom, Muncaster Cumberland
2 Urswick Lancashire
3 Aldingham Lancashire
4 Almondbury Yorkshire, West Riding
5 Dalton-in-Furness Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Barrow-in-Furness 002 Barrow-in-Furness
2 Barrow-in-Furness 001 Barrow-in-Furness
3 Copeland 005 Copeland
4 Allerdale 008 Allerdale
5 Conwy 002 Conwy

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bayliff

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bayliff

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Bayliff is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Bayliff 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

Bayliff falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Bayliff

The surname BAYLIFF is of Anglo-Saxon origin, originating in England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "bæli" and "ġerefa," meaning "bailiff," which was a position of authority and law enforcement during that era.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname BAYLIFF can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, including Baylif, Bayliff, and Baylive.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named John BAYLIFF was recorded as a landowner in the county of Lincolnshire. Around the same time, a Richard BAYLIFF was mentioned in the Assize Rolls of Yorkshire, which were legal records documenting court proceedings.

During the 14th century, a man named William BAYLIFF was recorded as a resident of the town of Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of the renowned playwright William Shakespeare. This suggests that the surname had spread across various regions of England by that point.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure with the surname BAYLIFF was Sir Thomas BAYLIFF (c. 1520-1591), who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1564. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable institutions, including Bayliff's Grammar School in Oxfordshire.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert BAYLIFF (1619-1684), an English politician and member of Parliament during the reign of Charles II. He was a staunch supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

The surname BAYLIFF is also found in historical records from other parts of the British Isles, such as Scotland and Ireland, suggesting that it may have spread beyond its English origins over time. Variations in spelling, including Bailiff, Bayly, and Baylie, further attest to the name's evolution across different regions.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bayliff families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bayliff 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. Lancashire leads with 95 Bayliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.53x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 95 4.53x
Yorkshire 31 1.77x
Westmorland 21 54.12x
Cumberland 11 7.24x
Middlesex 8 0.45x
Gloucestershire 6 1.73x
Hertfordshire 5 4.11x
Northumberland 3 1.14x
Cheshire 1 0.26x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dalton In Furness in Lancashire leads with 19 Bayliffs recorded in 1881 and an index of 234.86x.

Place Total Index
Dalton In Furness 19 234.86x
Almondbury 17 200.95x
Lower Upper Holker 12 4137.93x
Aldingham 10 1428.57x
Barrow In Furness 10 35.10x
Kendal 10 140.85x
Acton 8 77.29x
Bootle Cum Linacre 8 48.08x
Ulverston 8 131.15x
Urswick 8 1025.64x
Kirkby Lonsdale 7 666.67x
Workington 7 80.46x
Clifton 6 34.29x
Habergham Eaves 6 31.33x
Sedburgh 5 684.93x
Thorp Audlin 5 3125.00x
Upper Allithwaite E 5 1470.59x
Albury 4 1052.63x
Bingley 3 26.93x
Branxton 3 2307.69x
Little Woolton 2 333.33x
Millom 2 42.92x
Ambleside 1 83.33x
Birkenhead 1 3.22x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 3.00x
Claife 1 303.03x
Crosscanonby 1 19.88x
Darfield 1 62.89x
Dufton 1 400.00x
Edenhall 1 625.00x
Firbank 1 769.23x
Lancaster 1 8.03x
Liverpool 1 0.79x
Nether Kellet 1 588.24x
Rydal Loughrigg 1 333.33x
Stevenage 1 52.91x
Thornton In Fylde 1 21.83x
Torver 1 833.33x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 24
John 14
Thomas 14
Richard 8
James 7
Edward 3
Joseph 3
Edwin 2
Fred 2
George 2
Henry 2
Wilfred 2
Alfred 1
Erne 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Godfrey 1
Harry 1
Hugh 1
I. 1
Isaac 1
J. 1
Jocob 1
Leonard 1
Luke 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Walker 1

FAQ

Bayliff surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bayliff surname in 1881?

In 1881, 181 people were recorded with the Bayliff surname. That placed it at #13,690 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bayliff surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 155 in 2016. That gives Bayliff a modern rank of #23,197.

What does the Bayliff surname mean?

A local official responsible for enforcing court orders and arrest warrants.

What does the Bayliff map show?

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