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Ayles Family History

Ayles Surname Meaning

English (Hampshire, Dorset, and Isle of Wight): variant of Hayles with loss of H-, perhaps from an unrecorded Middle English personal name Ayl(h)ise or Ayl(h)ese (Old English Æthelhyse composed of the elements æthel ‘noble’ + hyse ‘youth, warrior’) with the common development of Æthel- to Ayl-.

It is also a variant of the now extinct surname Ayle, from Middle English and Old French aie(u)l ‘uncle’ with excrescent -s.

Alternatively, it could be a variant of another now extinct surname Ayle, from Middle English eile and Old English egle ‘loathsome, troublesome’ with excrescent -s.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Ayles family from?

You can see how Ayles families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ayles family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ayles families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 145 Ayles families living in Hampshire. This was about 26% of all the recorded Ayles's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Ayles families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ayles surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Ayles ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Ayles. 24% of Ayles men worked as a General Labourer and 79% of Ayles women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ayles were Permanent Way Labourer and Housewife.

View Census Data for Ayles | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    24%
  • Bank Clerk
    12%
  • Shop Assistant
    8%
  • Permanent Way Labourer
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    79%
  • Private Means
    4%
  • Unpaid Household Duties
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%

What Ayles family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Ayles. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ayles census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ayles

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Ayles. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Ayles immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Ayles. For the veterans among your Ayles ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ayles military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ayles family history

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What is the average Ayles lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Ayles life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1992. The average life expectancy for Ayles in 1960 was 59, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ayles

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ayles ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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