Baylye History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Baylye family name to the British Isles. Baylye 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 Baylye 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 Baylye family

The surname Baylye 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 Baylye family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Baylye 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 Baylye History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Baylye Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Baillie, Bailey, Bailie, Bayly, Bayley, Bailley, Baly, Ballye, Bayllie and many more.

Early Notables of the Baylye family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Balliol King of Scotland from 1292-1296; Dr Richard Baylie (1585-1667), twice President of St John's College, Oxford, twice Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University and Dean of Salisbury; John Bayley (died 1611), an English politician, Mayor of Salisbury in 1587, Member of the Parliament for Salisbury in 1589; Robert Baillie of Jerviswood (1632-1684), a civil and religious reformer, eventually put to death for his outspokenness; Robert Baillie (Baillie of Jerviswood) (ca.1634-1684), a Scottish conspirator implicated in the Rye House Plot against King Charles...
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Baylye Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Baylye family to Ireland

Some of the Baylye 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.

Baylye migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Baylye or a variant listed above:

Baylye Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Henry Baylye, who landed in Virginia in 1637 3
Tho Baylye, who landed in Virginia in 1637 3
Richard Baylye, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 3
Jon Baylye, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 3
Rachel Baylye, who landed in Maryland in 1668 3

The Baylye 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.

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)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
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)