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Origins of the Bailey surname

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What does the name Bailey mean?

The Bailey surname is English in origin, coming from the Anglo-French 'bailler' (to deliver). Bailey is an occupational surname, used most prevalently as a description of a bailiff, or steward. Less often, Bailey sometimes could also be attached to those who live near a castle or stronghold.

Alternative variations of the name Bailey

Bailey, Bayley, Bailley, Baillie, Bailie

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Where do most Baileys live?

In 1921, most Baileys lived in London.


Census records trace your ancestors through each generation, so you can follow where your relatives lived through each decade.

Interesting facts about Baileys

How common is your surname?

62nd most common surname in the UK

We have 476,000 records for the Bailey surname. The oldest one dates back to 1300.

Who were Baileys most likely to marry?

Smiths

&

Browns

Our Marriage record sets tell us which families married Baileys.

What are the most common Bailey first names?

  • John
  • William
  • Mary
  • Elizabeth

Our birth record sets tell us the names of Bailey family members

Common jobs for Baileys

Men and women often performed different types of jobs, so these are displayed by gender to maintain their historical accuracy.

Common Female occupations for Baileys in 1921
Dressmaker

1,856

Laundress

1,203

Domestic Servant

1,117

General Servant Domestic

1,110

Cotton Weaver

786

Common Male occupations for Baileys in 1921
Agricultural Labourer

2,250

Coal Miner

2,092

General Labourer

1,647

Farmer

1,283

Farm Labourer

1,275

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Census records provide incredible detail on names, ages, marital statuses, occupations and more.

We found over 540,000 family trees with the Bailey surname

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