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Ayr Family History

Ayr Surname Meaning

From the royal burgh of Ayr (Ayrs), which is recorded as Ar in 1177, Are in 1197, and Air in about 1230. The place-name derives from the pre-Celtic river-name Ayr, which means ‘river’.

Bearers of the name in NW England may alternatively belong at (2).

Variant of Ayre.

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


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Where is the Ayr family from?

You can see how Ayr families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Ayr family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Ayr families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 3 Ayr families living in Warwickshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Ayr's in United Kingdom. Warwickshire had the highest population of Ayr families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Ayr 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 Ayr ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Manager was the top reported job for people in the USA named Ayr. 100% of Ayr men worked as a Manager.

View Census Data for Ayr | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Manager
    100%

What Ayr family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Ayr. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Ayr census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Ayr

Passenger Lists

There are 460 immigration records available for the last name Ayr. 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 Ayr immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Ayr military records

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What is the average Ayr lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Ayr life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1985, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Ayr in 1963 was 39, and 69 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Ayr

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Ayr 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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