Origins of the Bailey Surname
The following information comes from many different sources, including other web sites, encyclopedias, books on surnames, etc.
The basic meta-meaning of the words from which Bailey is derived seems to have something to do with protection, security, surety and responsibilty. These words are found in French, Scottish, Irish, and English. They have two primary foundations.
The first foundation comes from the construction of castles. Motte and bailey castles were constructed from earthen mounds (mottes, from Old French mote and motte--a hill serving as a site for a Norman Castle in Britain) and the defensive walls built around them (baileys). This, in turn comes from the Latin word ballium (rampart or protective barrier) through Old French bail, baille, meaning a palisade and bailleer meaning to enclose or shut.
The second foundation is from the titles of persons holding responsible positions. In Scottish, for example, the bailie is a municipal officer or magistrate. In Old French the baillie was a crown official or officer of the king in a county or a town, or a keeper of a royal building or desmesne.In medieval England the bailiff (or bailliff) was the person responsible for collecting rents for the lord, and for maintaining the lord's lands and property. The great English law commentator Blackstone defined "bailee" as "The person to whom goods are committed in trust, and who has a temporary possession and qualified property in them, for the purposes of the trust."
In current times this title has taken on a less important meaning in English. A modern bailiff is primarily responsible for keeping order in court, a role still in keeping with the original notion of protection and and security.
Modern English spellings of the name include Bailey, Baily, Baley, Bayly, Bayley, Bailie, Baillie, Baly, Bayless, Bailess and others. In French is found the name Baille and Lebaillie, in Swiss the name Bally, in Italian the name Baglione, and in Provencal the name Bailloux. The terms bail, bailment, bailiff, bailiwick, Old Bailey (the nickname of the Central Criminal Court in London) and many others are all related to the Bailey name.