Bailey Family Crest, Coat of Arms & Bailey Name Origin

Get Free Updates about Family Crests, New Information, Stories, Special Offers and more with our Occasional Newsletter Updates

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name *

Last Name

Origin of the Name Bailey

The Bailey family history was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. Meaning 'Bailiff or steward', variants of Bailey include Baillie, Bailie, Bellew and Baily. This name is of Anglo-Norman descent spreading to Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts in the above countries. Examples of such are a William de Bailli who appears as juror on an inquest concerning forfeited lands in Lothian. The earliest references in Ireland of the name render under Beleawe which is close to the original French 'Bel-eau'. The family went to England, from Normandy, with William the conqueror, settling in County Louth, Ireland, after the Anglo-Norman invasion. In Scotland there were a number of prominent families, notably, Polkemmet, Jerviswood, and Dochfour. The Baillies of Dunain are believed to have been founded by a younger son of the House of Lamington. Through the marriage of Colonel James Baillie, the title of Baron Burton came into the Dochfour family. In Ireland Bailey is often a variant of Bellew.