UK surname
A surname possibly derived from an Old English place name containing "eors", referring to a marsh or boggy area.
In the 1881 census there were 99 people recorded with the Eayrs surname, ranking it #19,877 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 78, ranked #33,171, down from #19,877 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Pickworth, Peterborough St John the Baptist and Elton. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Eayrs is 162 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 21.2%.
1881 census count
99
Ranked #19,877
Modern count
78
2016, ranked #33,171
Peak year
1911
162 bearers
Map years
3
1891 to 1911
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Eayrs surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Eayrs surname density by area, 1911 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.
| Year | Period | Count | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 | historical | 79 | #19,712 |
| 1861 | historical | 60 | #26,313 |
| 1881 | historical | 99 | #19,877 |
| 1891 | historical | 100 | #24,045 |
| 1901 | historical | 138 | #18,955 |
| 1911 | historical | 162 | #17,003 |
| 1997 | modern | 76 | #29,997 |
| 1998 | modern | 79 | #30,080 |
| 1999 | modern | 78 | #30,327 |
| 2000 | modern | 80 | #30,139 |
| 2001 | modern | 76 | #30,366 |
| 2002 | modern | 73 | #31,159 |
| 2003 | modern | 77 | #30,762 |
| 2004 | modern | 78 | #30,919 |
| 2005 | modern | 78 | #31,058 |
| 2006 | modern | 80 | #31,149 |
| 2007 | modern | 84 | #31,067 |
| 2008 | modern | 84 | #31,370 |
| 2009 | modern | 84 | #31,842 |
| 2010 | modern | 84 | #32,289 |
| 2011 | modern | 78 | #32,819 |
| 2012 | modern | 79 | #32,966 |
| 2013 | modern | 80 | #33,058 |
| 2014 | modern | 83 | #32,910 |
| 2015 | modern | 79 | #33,127 |
| 2016 | modern | 78 | #33,171 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Pickworth, Peterborough St John the Baptist, Elton, Kettering and Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pickworth | Lincolnshire |
| 2 | Peterborough St John the Baptist | Northamptonshire |
| 3 | Elton | Northamptonshire |
| 4 | Kettering | Northamptonshire |
| 5 | Leicester St Margaret and Bishop's Fee, Leicester All Saints, Blackfriars | Leicestershire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Eayrs surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Eayrs, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.
These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.
The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.
UK neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Eayrs surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Eayrs household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Eayrs is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Eayrs is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Eayrs, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname EAYRS is an English name that has its origins in the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "eare," which means "ear," or "plough land." The name likely referred to someone who lived on or worked on land shaped like an ear or a strip of land resembling an ear.
The earliest known records of the surname EAYRS date back to the 13th century in Yorkshire, England. Variations of the spelling included Eares, Eyers, and Eyers. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, there is a record of a John Eyers in Oxfordshire.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various records, including the Poll Tax returns of Yorkshire in 1379, which listed a Adam Eyers. The Pipe Rolls of Westmorland in 1301 also mentioned a Robert de Eyers.
One notable bearer of the EAYRS name was Sir John Eayrs, who was a member of the English Parliament in the 16th century, representing the borough of Stamford in Lincolnshire from 1554 to 1555.
In the 17th century, the EAYRS surname was found in various places, including Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. One example is Thomas Eayrs, who was born in Worcestershire in 1620 and served as a Captain in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War.
Another notable figure was Sir John Eayrs, who was born in Gloucestershire in 1679 and became a successful merchant and philanthropist. He founded the Eayrs Charity School in his hometown of Tetbury in 1712.
Moving into the 18th century, the EAYRS surname was still present in various parts of England. One notable individual was William Eayrs, born in Yorkshire in 1744, who was a renowned clockmaker and inventor of various horological devices.
In the 19th century, the EAYRS surname continued to be found in various regions of England, with some bearers of the name emigrating to other parts of the world, such as North America and Australia.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Eayrs surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lincolnshire leads with 20 Eayrs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 13.22x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lincolnshire | 20 | 13.22x |
| Northamptonshire | 20 | 22.48x |
| Rutland | 17 | 244.60x |
| Leicestershire | 12 | 11.44x |
| Essex | 7 | 3.75x |
| Huntingdonshire | 7 | 37.27x |
| Staffordshire | 4 | 1.25x |
| Bedfordshire | 3 | 6.12x |
| Oxfordshire | 2 | 3.42x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.43x |
| Cumberland | 1 | 1.23x |
| Norfolk | 1 | 0.69x |
| Yorkshire | 1 | 0.11x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leicester St Margaret in Leicestershire leads with 9 Eayrs' recorded in 1881 and an index of 35.18x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Leicester St Margaret | 9 | 35.18x |
| Peterborough | 8 | 124.22x |
| Pickworth | 8 | 16000.00x |
| Brigstock | 7 | 2058.82x |
| Colchester St Botolph | 7 | 440.25x |
| Elton | 7 | 2692.31x |
| Empingham | 7 | 2592.59x |
| Holbeach | 5 | 297.62x |
| Stamford All Sts | 4 | 470.59x |
| Stamford St Mary | 4 | 1290.32x |
| West Bromwich | 4 | 21.88x |
| Luton | 3 | 35.38x |
| Morton In Bourn | 3 | 967.74x |
| Sudborough | 3 | 3333.33x |
| Leicester St Mary | 2 | 23.61x |
| Oundle | 2 | 202.02x |
| Stretton | 2 | 3333.33x |
| Swineshead | 2 | 400.00x |
| Wychwood | 2 | 2857.14x |
| Capel | 1 | 232.56x |
| Heigham | 1 | 12.80x |
| Humberstone | 1 | 116.28x |
| Newington | 1 | 38.76x |
| Penge | 1 | 16.56x |
| Spalding | 1 | 33.33x |
| St Bees | 1 | 263.16x |
| Stamford St George | 1 | 147.06x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Eayrs surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Eayrs surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Eayrs households.
FAQ
In 1881, 99 people were recorded with the Eayrs surname. That placed it at #19,877 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 78 in 2016. That gives Eayrs a modern rank of #33,171.
A surname possibly derived from an Old English place name containing "eors", referring to a marsh or boggy area.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Eayrs bearers relative to the surrounding population.
The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.