Find out how popular the last name Baily is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Baily.

Baily, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Baily surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Baily in America

Baily is the 11954th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Baily surname appeared 2,615 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Baily.

We can also compare 2010 data for Baily to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name 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.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Baily

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Baily.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Baily was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Baily has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Baily was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Baily, please contact us.

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