Show ContentsBailie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish Bailie, originally came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Bailie is 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.

Early Origins of the Bailie family

The surname Bailie was first found in County Down (Irish:An Dún) part of the Province of Ulster, in Northern Ireland, formerly known as county St Mirren.

Early History of the Bailie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bailie research. Another 192 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1610, 1630, 1644, 1648, 1664, 1855 and 1901 are included under the topic Early Bailie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bailie Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Baillie, Bailey, Bailie, Bayly, Bayley, Bailley, Baly, Ballye, Bayllie and many more.

Early Notables of the Bailie family

More information is included under the topic Early Bailie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Bailie migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bailie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Richard Bailie, who arrived in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1638 1
Bailie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Andrew Bailie, who landed in Virginia in 1790 1
  • Alexander Bailie, who landed in New York in 1795 1
Bailie Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Elizabeth, Mathew, Matty, Stewart and William Bailie, who all, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1804
  • Malty Bailie, aged 18, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 1
  • Eliza Bailie, aged 46, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 1
  • Stewart Bailie, aged 20, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 1
  • Mathew Bailie, aged 48, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804 1
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Bailie migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bailie Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
  • Jean Bailie, who arrived in Canada in 1664
Bailie Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Margereta Bailie, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1757

Bailie 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:

Bailie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Ensign Bailie, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 24th June 1854 2
  • Miss Mary Ann Bailie, (b. 1842), aged 21, British domestic servant, from Lanarkshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Metropolis" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 16th June 1863 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Bailie (post 1700) +

  • Helen Tufts Bailie (1874-1962), American social reformer and activist
  • Rick Bailie, American Libertarian politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Missouri 5th District, 2004 3
  • Martin Bailie (1962-2022), Irish hurler for Ballygalget and member of the Down senior hurling team
  • Robin John Bailie (b. 1937), Northern Irish solicitor and former politician, Member of Parliament for Newtownabbey (1969-1972), Minister of Commerce and Production (1971-1972)
  • David Bailie (1937-2021), South African-born, English actor, known for his roles as "Dask" in the 1977 Doctor Who serial The Robots of Death and as the mute pirate Cotton in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy
  • Tony Bailie, British novelist, and journalist from Downpatrick, County Down
  • Sally Anne Bailie (1937-1995), English-born trainer and owner of Thoroughbred racehorses
  • James Bailie (1890-1967), unionist politician in Northern Ireland
  • Colin James Bailie (b. 1964), British former professional footballer, from Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Noel Bailie MBE (b. 1971), British former semi-professional footballer from Northern Ireland
  • ... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Bailie 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: Quid clarius astris
Motto Translation: What is brighter than the stars?


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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