Contents [hide]

Baylis History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Baylis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland

The surname Baylis is derived from the Old French word baillis, which is the nominative form of the word bailliff. The name was originally occupational for a bailiff, a deputy of a king or lord, whose duties included collecting of rents and administering justice. In Wales, this name was for an agent of the English lords of the marches.

"The office, being of importance, was usually held by Normans of rank." 1

Early Origins of the Baylis family

The surname Baylis was first found in Glamorganshire (Welsh: Sir Forgannwg), a region of South Wales, anciently part of the Welsh kingdom of Glywysing, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Early History of the Baylis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baylis research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1500, 1860 and 1924 are included under the topic Early Baylis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baylis Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Baylis have included Bayliss, Bailiss, Baliss, Balis, Balies, Bayles, Bayliff, Bayliffe, Bailiff, Bailiffe and many more.

Early Notables of the Baylis family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was

Sir William Maddock Bayliss (1860-1924), an English physiologist, epoymn of the Bayliss Effect

Baylis Ranking

In the United States, the name Baylis is the 13,113^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Baylis family to Ireland

Some of the Baylis family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baylis migration to the United States +

Many Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Baylis were found:

Baylis Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Baylis, who arrived in New Haven, Connecticut in 1654 3

Baylis Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Joseph Baylis, who settled in New England in 1763

Baylis Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Baylis, who landed in New York in 1830 3
William A Baylis, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1864 3

Baylis migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Baylis Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Sarah Baylis, who landed in Esquimalt, British Columbia in 1862

Baylis migration to Australia +

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

Baylis Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century

Mr. Richard Baylis, English convict who was convicted in Kent, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4

Baylis Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Baylis, (b. 1803), aged 17, English labourer who was convicted in Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England for life for shop lifting, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" on 11th August 1820, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Richard Baylis, (Bayliss), (b. 1812), aged 16, English convict who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 29th April 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1841 6
Miss Ann Baylis, English convict who was convicted in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emma Eugenia" on 22nd January 1846, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Thomas Baylis, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Louisa Baillie" in 1849 8
William Baylis, English convict from London, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on August 08, 1849, settling in Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Baylis 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:

Baylis Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Daniel Baylis, aged 21, a chain maker, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
James Baylis, aged 23, a butcher, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Alma" in 1857
Mr. William Baylis, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th June 1858 10
Mrs. Susan Baylis, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Egmont" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th June 1858 10
Mr. James Baylis, (b. 1816), aged 47, British farm labourer travelling from London, UK aboard the ship "Brothers Pride" arriving in Lyttelton, South Island, New Zealand on 8th December 1863 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Baylis (post 1700) +

William Henry Baylis (1962-1988), American silver medalist sailor at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Brigadier-General James Ernest Baylis (1884-1976), American Surgeon 7th Army (1945-1947) 11
Jearld Baylis (b. 1962), American star defensive lineman in the Canadian Football League
Trevor Graham Baylis CBE (1937-2018), English inventor from Kilburn, London, best known for inventing the wind-up radio
Keith Rodney Baylis (b. 1947), English former cricketer
Marc Baylis (b. 1978), British stage, television and film actor
Matthew Baylis (b. 1971), British novelist, screenwriter and journalist
Edward Baylis (1791-1861), British mathematician and founder of insurance companies
Lilian Baylis (1874-1937), British theatrical producer, manager and founder of a ballet company
John Baylis Earle (1766-1863), American politician, Representative from South Carolina 8th District, 1803-05 12

Historic Events for the Baylis family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Herbert J Baylis (b. 1922), English Ordinary Signalman serving for the Royal Navy from Battersea, London, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 13

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th April 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emma-eugenia
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The LOUISA BAILLIE 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849LouisaBaillie.htm
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 17) Adelaide voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia in 1849 with 303 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adelaide/1849
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 6) James Baylis. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Baylis/James_Ernest/USA.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 29) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm