Bailey

Bailey is a term with multiple uses in English and Scottish history and culture.

In historical fortifications, a bailey is the outer or inner courtyard of a castle or fortification, typically enclosed by a curtain wall and connected to the donjon or keep. In motte-and-bailey castles, the motte is the raised earthwork while the bailey is the surrounding enclosure. The bailey often contained stables, workshops, storage, and living quarters, and it was access-controlled by gates and towers. There may be an inner bailey near the keep and an outer bailey beyond the walls. The term is primarily used by archaeologists and historians to describe layout.

The word is of Old French origin and entered English in the medieval period, originally describing an official's enclosure or jurisdiction; over time it came to denote the enclosed area of a castle. The English surname Bailey and the Scottish surname Baillie derive from the occupation of bailiff or from the French/Scots forms of the term, and have become common as both surnames and given names.

As a given name, Bailey is used in English-speaking countries for all genders, though more commonly masculine in earlier periods and increasingly unisex in modern usage. Notable bearers include various individuals across fields such as sports, arts, and academia.