NameCensus.

UK surname

Bays

A toponymic surname referring to someone who lived by a bay or wide inlet of the sea.

In the 1881 census there were 352 people recorded with the Bays surname, ranking it #8,718 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 431, ranked #11,170, down from #8,718 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Gateshead, Kidderminster and St John Hackney. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include South Tyneside, Colchester and Fenland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bays is 463 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 22.4%.

1881 census count

352

Ranked #8,718

Modern count

431

2016, ranked #11,170

Peak year

1999

463 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bays had 352 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,718 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016, ranked #11,170.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 407 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bays surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Bays surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bays 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 358 #6,604
1861 historical 407 #6,306
1881 historical 352 #8,718
1891 historical 304 #11,005
1901 historical 286 #12,029
1911 historical 351 #10,243
1997 modern 451 #10,049
1998 modern 455 #10,315
1999 modern 463 #10,230
2000 modern 454 #10,360
2001 modern 445 #10,327
2002 modern 449 #10,465
2003 modern 429 #10,684
2004 modern 435 #10,600
2005 modern 424 #10,691
2006 modern 427 #10,683
2007 modern 432 #10,682
2008 modern 432 #10,792
2009 modern 440 #10,888
2010 modern 436 #11,189
2011 modern 433 #11,116
2012 modern 427 #11,120
2013 modern 430 #11,259
2014 modern 426 #11,408
2015 modern 433 #11,162
2016 modern 431 #11,170

Geography

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Where Bays' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Gateshead, Kidderminster, St John Hackney, Littlehampton, Climping and Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to South Tyneside, Colchester and Fenland. 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 Gateshead Durham
2 Kidderminster Worcestershire
3 St John Hackney London (North Districts)
4 Littlehampton, Climping Sussex
5 Cambridge: St Andrew the Less, St Andrew the Great, Holy Trinity, St Benedict Cambridgeshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 South Tyneside 001 South Tyneside
2 Colchester 020 Colchester
3 South Tyneside 002 South Tyneside
4 South Tyneside 004 South Tyneside
5 Fenland 010 Fenland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bays

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bays

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

Ageing Communities

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

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

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Bays is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bays is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bays 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 Bays is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Bays

The surname "Bays" originated from the Old French word "baye," which means "bay" or a small inlet of the sea. This name is believed to have first emerged in England during the 12th century, referring to individuals who lived near a bay or coastal inlet.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname "Bays" dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de la Baye," indicating that the name was initially a locative surname derived from a place name associated with a bay or inlet.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as "Baye," "Bays," and "Bayse," reflecting the phonetic variations common in that era. One notable early bearer of the name was Sir Robert de la Baye, a knight who fought in the Battle of Falkirk in 1298.

During the 14th century, the surname "Bays" became more widespread across England, particularly in coastal regions like Devon, Cornwall, and Dorset. One prominent figure from this time was John Bays (c. 1330-1395), a merchant and landowner from Bristol.

In the 16th century, the name underwent further variations, with spellings like "Bayes" and "Baies" appearing in historical records. One notable individual from this period was William Bayes (1518-1572), a clergyman and scholar who served as the Archdeacon of Nottingham.

The 17th century saw the emergence of renowned individuals bearing the "Bays" surname, such as Thomas Bays (1625-1699), an English philosopher and theologian who wrote extensively on probability theory and is considered a pioneer in the field of statistics.

Another notable figure from this era was Sir Ralph Bays (1658-1723), a prominent English politician and Member of Parliament who played a significant role in the political struggles of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

In the 18th century, the surname "Bays" continued to be prevalent, with individuals like John Bays (1720-1795), a renowned architect and surveyor responsible for designing several notable buildings in London and the surrounding areas.

Throughout its history, the surname "Bays" has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, landowners, clergymen, scholars, politicians, and architects, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who carried this name.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bays families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bays 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 58 Bays' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.69x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 58 1.69x
Yorkshire 52 1.53x
Northamptonshire 43 13.32x
Norfolk 34 6.44x
Cambridgeshire 28 12.87x
Sussex 20 3.45x
Surrey 19 1.14x
Worcestershire 18 4.01x
Durham 16 1.57x
Suffolk 16 3.83x
Buckinghamshire 9 4.34x
Lincolnshire 6 1.09x
Wiltshire 6 1.98x
Hertfordshire 5 2.11x
Nottinghamshire 5 1.08x
Bedfordshire 3 1.69x
Hampshire 3 0.43x
Huntingdonshire 3 4.40x
Somerset 2 0.36x
Warwickshire 2 0.23x
Berkshire 1 0.39x
Cumberland 1 0.34x
Devon 1 0.14x
Oxfordshire 1 0.47x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bozeat in Northamptonshire leads with 20 Bays' recorded in 1881 and an index of 1428.57x.

Place Total Index
Bozeat 20 1428.57x
Swafield 18 8571.43x
Chatteris 14 252.25x
Scarborough 14 45.28x
Kidderminster Borough 13 49.54x
Bury St Edmunds St Mary 11 140.13x
Hackney London 11 5.71x
Poplar London 11 16.98x
Southcoates 10 52.94x
Brighton 9 7.71x
Peterborough 9 38.49x
Wellingborough 9 55.42x
Westoe 9 15.54x
Shoreditch London 8 5.37x
Upton Cum Chalvey 8 96.74x
Bethnal Green London 7 4.69x
Sheffield 7 6.46x
Littlehampton 6 129.87x
St Pancras London 6 2.17x
Broom 5 3333.33x
Northampton St Sepulchre 5 30.43x
Southwark St Saviour 5 28.33x
Swindon 5 21.23x
Bermondsey 4 3.91x
Doddington 4 250.00x
Gainsborough 4 30.91x
Hammersmith London 4 4.73x
Ipswich St Helen 4 80.65x
Mile End Old Town London 4 5.47x
South Shields 4 43.96x
Sutton Stoneferry 4 41.07x
Terrington St Clement 4 168.07x
Thornhill 4 40.28x
West Stockwith 4 512.82x
Bedford St Paul 3 24.61x
Clapham 3 6.99x
Downham 3 129.87x
Islington London 3 0.90x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 3 18.93x
Leominster 3 160.43x
Melton Parva 3 714.29x
Shipdham 3 167.60x
St Ives 3 84.75x
Wakefield 3 11.49x
Wisbech St Peter 3 27.50x
Birmingham 2 0.69x
Camberwell 2 0.91x
Englishcombe 2 327.87x
Flitcham Cum Appleton 2 363.64x
Halifax 2 4.00x
Lymington 2 38.68x
Muston 2 434.78x
New Shoreham 2 57.64x
Newington 2 1.58x
St Andrewthe Less 2 8.05x
St Edward Cambridge 2 289.86x
Stevenage 2 54.50x
Stockton On Tees 2 4.06x
Anlaby 1 135.14x
Battersea 1 0.79x
Berkhampstead 1 18.80x
Bromfield 1 222.22x
Cobham 1 36.36x
Ecclesall Bierlow 1 1.44x
Haxey 1 42.92x
Hilderthorpe 1 58.14x
Hitchin 1 9.36x
Keyingham 1 135.14x
Lambeth 1 0.33x
Newark Upon Trent 1 6.01x
Paddington London 1 0.79x
Portsmouth 1 6.17x
Ratcliffe London 1 5.27x
Sandhurst 1 20.04x
St George Hanover Square 1 1.65x
St Michael Wood Street 1 625.00x
St Swithin Lincoln 1 11.59x
Stranton 1 2.91x
Wavendon 1 86.96x
Winterbourne Bassett 1 322.58x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 14
Sarah 13
Elizabeth 10
Emma 9
Emily 7
Maria 6
Ada 5
Alice 5
Ann 5
Annie 5
Catherine 5
Ellen 5
Jane 5
Fanny 4
Harriet 4
Martha 4
Edith 3
Eliza 3
Hannah 3
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Anne 2
Caroline 2
Julia 2
Louisa 2
Susan 2
Augusta 1
Beatrice 1
Cassandra 1
Elisa 1
Emmeline 1
Ester 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Hamiah 1
Harriett 1
Herriott 1
Hettie 1
Hetty 1
Jeannette 1
Jessie 1
Jonathan 1
Katey 1
Lucy 1
Mabel 1
Margaret 1
Margt. 1
Zilphia 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 25
John 17
Henry 15
George 14
James 11
Joseph 10
Thomas 9
Charles 6
Robert 6
Richard 5
Arthur 4
Edward 4
Ernest 3
Harry 3
Samuel 3
Alfred 2
Edmond 2
Francis 2
Fredrick 2
Herbert 2
Reginald 2
Tom 2
Walter 2
Benjamin 1
Benjm. 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
Curtis 1
Daniel 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Frederick 1
Geo. 1
Honria 1
Horace 1
Jonathan 1
Laurence 1
Michael 1
Percy 1
Rd. 1
Richd. 1
Seimon 1
Sibley 1
Sidney 1
Simon 1
Stanley 1
Sydney 1

FAQ

Bays surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bays surname in 1881?

In 1881, 352 people were recorded with the Bays surname. That placed it at #8,718 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bays surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 431 in 2016. That gives Bays a modern rank of #11,170.

What does the Bays surname mean?

A toponymic surname referring to someone who lived by a bay or wide inlet of the sea.

What does the Bays map show?

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