Bayly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

England

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Bayly is one of the thousands of new names that the Norman Conquest brought to England in 1066. It is a name for a person who held the civil office of the same name in Normandy. The title 'Le Bailli' was approximately equal to that of Viscount or sheriff. 1 There was also a place named Bailleul-En-Vimeu which is about six miles south of Abbeyville in the Somme, Normandy from which some instances of the surname may have evolved. The name Bayly is also an occupational name for a steward or official, deriving from "baiulivus" in Late Latin. In Scotland the word bailie, rather than bailiff is still used as the title for an officer in the courts.

Early Origins of the Bayly family

The surname Bayly was first found in Northumberland. However, there is still great controversy over the earliest origins of the name. There was great popular belief that the name was changed from Balliol, due to the unpopularity of the two Scottish Kings of that name. However, many historians, such as Bain, find no evidence for such a change, and cite very early instances of the name Baillie, such as William de Bailli, who appeared as a juror on an inquest concerning forfeited lands in Lothian around 1311-12. 2

Early records of the Baillie Clan indicate that the aforementioned William de Bailli was also known as Baillie of Hoperig, who acquired the lands of Lamington in Lanarkshire. His son William was granted a charter confirming ownership of these same lands in 1358. Alexander, the eldest grandson of William and two brothers fled the country after they had beaten and killed their tutor. After serving in the army, Alexander received the lands of Dunain and Dochfour, and was appointed the Constable of Inverness. Another brother of Alexander's married a daughter of Sir Patrick Hume's in 1492, and from this union descended the Baillies of Jerviswood.

Early History of the Bayly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bayly research. Another 188 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1240, 1292, 1296, 1308, 1332, 1338, 1585, 1587, 1589, 1610, 1611, 1630, 1632, 1634, 1644, 1648, 1657, 1664, 1667, 1671, 1684, 1691, 1701, 1719, 1720, 1721, 1738, 1740, 1741, 1744, 1749, 1764, 1872 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Bayly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bayly Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Baillie, Bailey, Bailie, Bayly, Bayley, Bailley, Baly, Ballye, Bayllie and many more.

Early Notables of the Bayly family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Thomas Bailey (Bayly) (died c. 1657) was a 17th-century English religious controversialist, a Royalist Church of England clergyman who converted to Roman Catholicism
Benjamin Bayly (1671-1720), an English divine

Migration of the Bayly family to Ireland

Some of the Bayly family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 174 words (12 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bayly migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Bayly or a variant listed above were:

Bayly Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Lewis Bayly, who landed in Virginia in 1621 3
Peter Bayly, who landed in Virginia in 1635 3
Joane Bayly, who arrived in Virginia in 1636 3
Arthur Bayly, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 3
Rebecca Bayly, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bayly Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Edward Bayly, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 3

Bayly migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bayly Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century

Richard Bayly, who settled in Bay de Verde, Newfoundland in 1675 4

Bayly migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Bayly Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Richard Bayly, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Simlah" in 1849 5

Bayly migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Bayly Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Arthur Bayly, who landed in New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship Amelia Thompson
Daniel Bayly, who landed in New Plymouth, New Zealand in 1841 aboard the ship "Amelia Thompson"
George Bayly, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Cashmere" in 1851 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Bayly (post 1700) +

Thomas Monteagle Bayly (1775-1834), American politician, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia (1813-1815)
Joseph T. Bayly (1920-1986), American author and publishing executive
Charles Bayly (1630-1680), the first overseas governor of the Hudson's Bay Company 7
Lewis Bayly (d. 1631), English author and Anglican bishop
Thomas Haynes Bayly (1797-1839), English poet, songwriter and dramatist
Sir Patrick Uniacke Bayly (1914-1998), Vice Admiral of the Royal Navy
Colonel Zachary Stanley Bayly CMG (1841-1916), South African colonial military commander
Sir Christopher Alan Bayly FBA, FRSL (b. 1945), British historian and academic, President of St Catharine's College, Cambridge (2007-)
Lorraine Bayly (b. 1937), Australian actress, best known for her role as Grace Sullivan, in the drama series The Sullivans 1976-1979
Sir Lewis Bayly KCB, KCMG, CVO (1857-1938), British admiral, Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland 8
... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Bayly Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Ubi bene ibi patria
Motto Translation: One's country is where one is well.