Show ContentsBayne History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The history of the ancestors of the Bayne family begins among the Pictish clans ancient Scotland. The name Bayne comes from the Gaelic word Beathan or betha which means life. Bean was also the name of a saint in the Breviary of Aberdeen.

Early Origins of the Bayne family

The surname Bayne was first found in Aberdeen (part of the modern Grampian region), where one of the first times the name arose was a Bean who was a magistrate circa 1210. It is known, however, that the MacBains moved to Invernessshire, as sod bearers to the Chiefs of the great Clan Chattan (a powerful confederation of early Clans). The name literally means "son of the fair lad," and was frequently translated to MacBean (Bain.)

Saint Bean or Beyn (fl. 1011), was, according to Fordun, appointed first bishop of Murthlach by Malclom II, at the instance of Pope Benedict VIII. A fragment of the charter of Malcolm II (1003-1029?), preserved in the register of the diocese of Aberdeen confirms this claim. 1 However, St. Bean is distinctly referred to as a native of Ireland: 'In Hybernia natalis Beani primi episcopi Aberdonensis et confessoris'. 1

Early History of the Bayne family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bayne research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1411, 1550 and 1745 are included under the topic Early Bayne History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bayne Spelling Variations

Prior to the invention of the printing press in the last hundred years, documents were basically unique. Names were written according to sound, and often appeared differently each time they were recorded. Spelling variations of the name Bayne include Bean, Beane, Beyn, Bayn, Bene, Bane, Baine, Beine, Bayne, Beyne, Been, Beaine, MacBain, MacBean, MacVain, MacBean, MacVan and many more.

Early Notables of the Bayne family

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

Bayne Ranking

In the United States, the name Bayne is the 4,479th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 2

Ireland Migration of the Bayne family to Ireland

Some of the Bayne 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.


United States Bayne migration to the United States +

The freedom of the North American colonies was enticing, and many Scots left to make the great crossing. It was a long and hard journey, but its reward was a place where there was more land than people and tolerance was far easier to come by. Many of these people came together to fight for a new nation in the American War of Independence, while others remained loyal to the old order as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of Scots in North America have recovered much of this heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and other such organizations. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important and early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Bayne:

Bayne Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Bayne, who landed in New England in 1651 3
  • Joyce Bayne, who arrived in Maryland in 1656 3
  • Judith Bayne, who landed in Maryland in 1663 3
  • Helena Bayne, who landed in Maryland in 1663 3
  • Walter Bayne, who landed in Maryland in 1663 3
Bayne Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Alexander Bayne, who settled in Boston in 1820
  • Thomas Bayne, who arrived in Indiana in 1859 3

New Zealand Bayne 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:

Bayne Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Peter Bayne, (b. 1823), aged 33, Scottish settler born in Perthshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 15th August 1856 4
  • Mrs. Catherine Bayne, (b. 1821), aged 35, Scottish settler with 2 more sons and 2 daughters travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 15th August 1856 4
  • Mr. James Bayne, (b. 1848), aged 8, Scottish settler born in Perthshire travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 15th August 1856 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Bayne (post 1700) +

  • Thomas Bayne (1824-1888), born Sam Nixon, an African American Republican political representative who was born a slave and became a dental assistant and Underground Railroad conductor in Norfolk, Virginia where he escaped to New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he changed his name to Thomas Bayne
  • Thomas Levingston Bayne Jr. (1865-1934), American football player, coach of football and baseball, and attorney
  • William Lear "Beverly" Bayne (1899-1981), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1919 to 1930
  • Beverly Bayne (1894-1982), born Pearl Beverly Bain, or Pearl Von Name, an American silent film actress from Minneapolis, Minnesota, known for Romeo and Juliet (1916), The Age of Innocence (1924) and The Girl at the Curtain (1914)
  • Howard Randolph Bayne (1851-1933), American lawyer, historian and politician from Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia
  • Howard Edgar Bayne (1942-2018), American ABA basketball player for the Kentucky Colonels (1967-1968)
  • Trevor Bayne (b. 1991), American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series race car driver and winner of the 2011 Daytona 500
  • Thomas McKee Bayne (1836-1894), Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania
  • Hugh Aiken Bayne (1870-1954), American lawyer, recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal and the Légion d'honneur
  • Alexander Bayne of Rires (d. 1737), first tenant of the Chair of Scots Law at the University of Edinburgh, son of John Bayne of Logie, Fife 5
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Bayne 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: Touch not the catt bot a targe
Motto Translation: Touch not the cat without a shield.


  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  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)
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 6 June 2019


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