Show ContentsBays History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Bays

What does the name Bays mean?

The name Bays is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was a name for someone who was a short person. The surname Bays is derived from the Old English words bas and basse, meaning low or short. These words ultimately stem from the Latin word bassus which means thick or heavy-set. The surname Bays may also be a nickname for someone resembling a fish, or it may be a metonymic name for someone holding the occupation of fishmonger.

Early Origins of the Bays family

The surname Bays was first found in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Bays family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bays research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1379, 1500 and 1579 are included under the topic Early Bays History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bays Spelling Variations

Bays has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Bays have been found, including Bays, Base, Bayse, Baise and others.

Early Notables of the Bays family

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

Bays Ranking

In the United States, the name Bays is the 4,561st most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1


Bays migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Bayss to arrive on North American shores:

Bays Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Bays, who landed in New York in 1709 2
Bays Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Bays, aged 18, British weaver who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Louisa" in 1825
  • Friedrich Bays, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 2

Bays migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Bays Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • John Bays, aged 24, who landed in Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia in 1774

Bays migration to Australia +

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

Bays Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Bays, aged 22, a gardener, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Eliza" 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Bays (post 1700) +

  • Betty Bays (1931-1992), née Schuller, American outfielder and catcher who played from 1950 to 1951 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
  • Carter F. Bays (b. 1975), American seven-time Emmy Award nominated television writer and television producer, best known as the executive producer of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ELIZA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Eliza.htm


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