The Ayers surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 39,623 people carried this name — #875 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 7,450 people counted. That is up 2% from 38,836 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Ayers surname

An English surname from Middle English from Middle English eir (“heir”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Ayers» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the son of the heir’.

An early record he cites: John fil. Aer, Shropshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls. Fil. is Latin for “son of”.

His entry covers Ayres, Ayers and Ayrs.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 70 · public domain.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

250 families named Ayers, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 1,367 people lived in those households, 5.5 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 14 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Massachusetts 59
New Hampshire 47
Pennsylvania 25
New York 22
Connecticut 20
Maine 16
North Carolina 16
Vermont 14
Maryland 11
Virginia 9
South Carolina 8
Rhode Island 3

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 228 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Ayers in American newspapers,
1857.

Newspaper page from New-york Daily Tribune carrying the name Ayers
New-york Daily Tribune 1857-05-02
Newspaper page from New-york Daily Tribune carrying the name Ayers
New-york Daily Tribune 1857-06-13
Newspaper page from New-york Daily Tribune carrying the name Ayers
New-york Daily Tribune 1857-04-25

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Ayers in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

20,290 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ayers. The most, 2,814, date from the 1860s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 5.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 13,601
New South Wales 2,158
Victoria 1,604
Tasmania 1,451
Queensland 668
Western Australia 579
ACT (Canberra) 131
Northern Territory 12

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ayers.

Who carried it

People named Ayers,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John L. Ayers
    John L. Ayers d. 1985 · politician
  • William Ayers d. 1655
  • Thomas Ayers 1626–1686
  • Thomas Ayers 1630–1686
  • Anne Ayers 1635–1695
  • Sarah Ayers 1702–1760

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Ayers,
in the records of 5 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,765 records

2,765 records of the Ayers name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,284
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 550
  • Other U.S. records 931
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Danny R. Ayers

    Born 1947; from Homestead, Florida. U.S. Army, military police; died in an accident 1968 in Bien Hoa, South Vietnam. Buried at Memphis National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Willie P. Ayers

    Born 1913 in South Carolina. Enlisted 1942 at New York City; metal grinder from Kings County, New York. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1996, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Frederick L. Ayers

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Majestic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 28; mechanic. From Bradford, England; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,765 records for Ayers in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia581 records

581 records of the Ayers name in Australia
  • Tasmanian Names Index 283
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 204
  • Other Australian records 94
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Albert John Ayers

    Died 1926 in Homeopathic Hospital, Launceston, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1926.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Caroline Maria Ayers

    Born 1859 in Longford, Tasmania. Married 1880 in Longford, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Donald Roy Ayers

    Born 1904 in New℗¿Town, Tasmania. Died 1935 in Tasmania, aged 31.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 581 records for Ayers in Australia.

Counts: Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

New Zealand49 records

49 records of the Ayers name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 41
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Aaron Ayers

    Died 1900, aged 64; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Shirley Adeline Ayers

    Born 1945, died 1998; ashes interred at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Caroline Jane Ayers

    Died 1971, aged 91; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 49 records for Ayers in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Canada41 records

41 records of the Ayers name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 24
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 8
  • Other Canadian records 9
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Samuel A. Ayers

    Buried in 1976 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 93.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Gary Reginald Ayers

    Died 1962 in Lakelands, Hants, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Richard Butcher Ayers

    Died in service in 1942.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 41 records for Ayers in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom5 records

5 records of the Ayers name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 2
  • Welsh wills index cards 1
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Margaret Ann Ayers

    Will proved in 1929; of Swansea, Glamorgan.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John Ayers

    Buried in 1830 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record H. Ayers

    Gunner, Royal Garrison Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Ayers in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Ayers.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Ayers is.
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