Bain Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Bain last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Bain last name
Meaning of the Bain last name: fair-haired. Bain is a Scottish surname from Gaelic bàn, "fair, white", a nickname for a fair-haired person. It was common in Caithness and Ross. The last name spread to the United States and Canada, and the business firm Bain & Company made it widely known.
Arms associated with the Bain name
In Scottish heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Bain name are personal, each with its own blazon.
Get your full Bain family history
This is only a glimpse of the Bain story. The full Bain history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Bain coat of arms. Get the full Bain report.
Bain name FAQ
What does the Bain name mean?
fair-haired. Common variants include Bayne, Bane, Baine.
Where does the Bain surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in Canada, the United States and Australia.
Is there a Bain coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Bain coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).