Bain or Bains is an English, French, Punjabi (
Jatt), and Scottish
surname. It may also be a variant form of a German surname.
Bains shares many of the origins of the surname
Baines.[1]
Origin of the surname
Northern English
There are two origins for the Northern English surname.
The northern English surname Bains is sometimes derived from a nickname meaning "bone", which probably referred to someone who was exceptionally tall, or lean. This nickname is derived from the
Old Englishban, meaning "bone". In northern dialects of
Middle English, the a was preserved, but in southern dialects the a was changed to o (the southern form became the standard).
In other cases, the northern English surname is derived from a nickname of a hospitable person. This nickname is derived from the northern Middle English beyn, bayn, which mean "welcoming", "friendly"; these are in turn derived from the Old Norse beinn, meaning "straight", "direct".[2]
English/French
An English and French origin of the surname Bains is from the occupational name of an attendant of a
public bath house. This name is derived from the Middle English, and
Old Frenchbaine, meaning "bath".[2]
French
There are several other derivations of the
French surname.
One French derivation of the surname Bains is from a topographic name, for someone who lived near a Roman bath. This name is derived from the Old French baine, meaning "bath".
In other cases, the name may originate from a habitational name, derived from a place in
Ille-et-Vilaine.[2]
Scottish
The
Scottish surnameBain is derived from a nickname for a person with fair-hair. This name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic bàn, meaning "white", "fair". The name was common in the Scottish Highlands, and is first recorded in 1324 in Perth. The surname can also be, in some cases, a reduced form of the surname McBain.[2] The
Scottish Gaelic form of the surname Bains is Bàins (masculine),[3] and Bhàin (feminine).
This page lists people with the
surnameBains. If an
internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that
link by adding the person's
given name(s) to the link.
Bain or Bains is an English, French, Punjabi (
Jatt), and Scottish
surname. It may also be a variant form of a German surname.
Bains shares many of the origins of the surname
Baines.[1]
Origin of the surname
Northern English
There are two origins for the Northern English surname.
The northern English surname Bains is sometimes derived from a nickname meaning "bone", which probably referred to someone who was exceptionally tall, or lean. This nickname is derived from the
Old Englishban, meaning "bone". In northern dialects of
Middle English, the a was preserved, but in southern dialects the a was changed to o (the southern form became the standard).
In other cases, the northern English surname is derived from a nickname of a hospitable person. This nickname is derived from the northern Middle English beyn, bayn, which mean "welcoming", "friendly"; these are in turn derived from the Old Norse beinn, meaning "straight", "direct".[2]
English/French
An English and French origin of the surname Bains is from the occupational name of an attendant of a
public bath house. This name is derived from the Middle English, and
Old Frenchbaine, meaning "bath".[2]
French
There are several other derivations of the
French surname.
One French derivation of the surname Bains is from a topographic name, for someone who lived near a Roman bath. This name is derived from the Old French baine, meaning "bath".
In other cases, the name may originate from a habitational name, derived from a place in
Ille-et-Vilaine.[2]
Scottish
The
Scottish surnameBain is derived from a nickname for a person with fair-hair. This name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic bàn, meaning "white", "fair". The name was common in the Scottish Highlands, and is first recorded in 1324 in Perth. The surname can also be, in some cases, a reduced form of the surname McBain.[2] The
Scottish Gaelic form of the surname Bains is Bàins (masculine),[3] and Bhàin (feminine).
This page lists people with the
surnameBains. If an
internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that
link by adding the person's
given name(s) to the link.