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

Bayley, 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 Bayley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bayley in America

Bayley is the 16362nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bayley surname appeared 1,760 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 Bayley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bayley 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 Bayley

The surname Bayley originated in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "bæg" and "leah," meaning "berry" and "clearing" or "meadow," respectively. This suggests that the name was initially given to someone who lived near a berry patch or meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Baigelei" and "Bagelie." This document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded as "Baylly" and "Bayly" in various historical documents. These spellings reflect the evolution of the name over time, as well as regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

During the 14th century, the name appeared in the form of "Bayley" in various records, including the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327. This spelling has since become the most common form of the surname.

Notable individuals with the surname Bayley throughout history include:

1. Thomas Bayley (1557-1632), an English clergyman and author, known for his work "The Summe of Practical Divinity."

2. John Bayley (1763-1841), an English painter and engraver, famous for his portraits and landscapes.

3. Anne Bayley (1789-1825), later known as Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, was the first American-born saint of the Catholic Church.

4. Thomas Haynes Bayley (1797-1839), an English poet and songwriter, best known for composing the lyrics to the popular song "Long, Long Ago."

5. Walter Bayley (1817-1901), an English civil engineer and inventor, known for his contributions to the development of street lighting and sewage systems in London.

The surname Bayley has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Bayley Park in Sussex and Bayley Street in London, further reflecting its deep roots in the country's history and geography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bayley

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

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 Bayley 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 Bayley 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 Bayley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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