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What’s in a name?

English: occupational name for an officer of a court of justice, whose duties included serving writs, distraining goods, and (formerly) arresting people. In England formerly it was also a status name for the chief officer of a hundred (administrative subdivision of a county).

The derivation is from Middle English, Old French bailis, from Late Latin baiulivus (adjective), ‘pertaining to an attendant or porter’ ( see Bailey ).