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Ayliffe Family History

Ayliffe Surname Meaning

From one of three Middle English personal names of Scandinavian origin Ailef, Ailif, and Ailof. Old Danish and Old Swedish Elif (Old Scandinavian Eilifr apparently composed of the elements ei ‘ever’ and lifðr ‘alive, lively’) and Elef (Old Scandinavian Eileifr with *leifr ‘remainder’) gave rise to Ayliff(e), Aliffe, and Eliff.

Old Danish and Old Swedish Elaf gave rise to Ayloff, but the names were probably confused with each other. From a Middle English female personal name Aileve, Old English Æðelgifu appears in the Domesday Book as Æileua, Eileua, Aileua, and Eleua. For -iff from -gifu, compare Brightiff, here perhaps influenced also by Ailiff.

Ayloffe can only be included here by assuming influence from the Scandinavian name. Compare Richard Aylyaue 1332 in Subsidy Rolls (Warwicks).

Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, 2016


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Where is the Ayliffe family from?

You can see how Ayliffe families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ayliffe family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1880 and 1920. The most Ayliffe families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 130 Ayliffe families living in London. This was about 34% of all the recorded Ayliffe's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Ayliffe families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ayliffe 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 Ayliffe ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Ayliffe. 20% of Ayliffe men worked as a Gardener and 72% of Ayliffe women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Ayliffe were Railway Clerk and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Ayliffe | 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

  • Gardener
    20%
  • Retired
    15%
  • Dental Surgeon
    10%
  • Railway Clerk
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    72%
  • Retired
    5%
  • Housewife
    4%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%

What Ayliffe family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 9,000 census records available for the last name Ayliffe. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ayliffe census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ayliffe

Passenger Lists

There are 674 immigration records available for the last name Ayliffe. 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 Ayliffe immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 459 military records available for the last name Ayliffe. For the veterans among your Ayliffe ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Ayliffe military records

You've only scratched the surface of Ayliffe family history

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What is the average Ayliffe lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2003, in the United States, Ayliffe life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1981, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Ayliffe in 1967 was 70, and 70 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ayliffe

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ayliffe 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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