I wondered if the 1851 census listing William's birth place as Greatham, Sussex might have been Greatham, Hamphire instead. However, I have checked the Hampshire records and there are no Aylings there.
I note that a number of ancestry.com trees have William born in Graffham. This is possible, but viewing the original 1851 census shows that it definitely says "Greatham" with no possibility of a transcription error on that document, unless there error was made between the transcription from the original census taker's sheet to what we see with the 1851 document...
However, the closest match in Graffham is: 13/07/1766 William William Elizabeth AYLING Born 07/07/1766. But this William died the following year: 05/01/1767 AYLING William S/o William & Elizabeth. There is another William baptized in 1775 but this seems to be too much of a gap in his census birth date of 1769-70.
Perhaps the census really said "Eartham"?
This is the closest match for an Ayling in Felpham in this period. Likely not "Ayling".
Name: Abel Alling
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 24 Feb 1771
Baptism Place: Felpham,Sussex,England
Father: Abel Alling
Mother: Jane
FHL Film Number: 0416748, 0416755, 0919107, 0416742
1 month ago
If the census meant to say "Eartham" here is a possible family group:
Name: Elizabeth Ayling
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 23 Jul 1775
Baptism Place: Eartham,Sussex,England
Father: Henry Ayling
Mother: Elizth
FHL Film Number: 0919107, 0416748, 416755
Name: Henry Ayling
Gender: Male
Baptism Date: 17 May 1773
Baptism Place: Eartham,Sussex,England
Father: Henry Ayling
Mother: Elizabeth
FHL Film Number: 0919107, 0416748, 416755
1 month ago
I note there is an Administration for a Thomas Ayling in 1794 for Aldingbourne. Relative? Father?
Name: Ayling, Thomas
Dates: 1794
Place: Aldingborne, Sussex, England
Book: Register 3.
Collection: Sussex: - Calendar of Administrations in the Consistory court of the Bishop of Chichester 1555-1800, Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Peculiar court of the Archbishop of Canterbury 1520-1670, Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Peculi
Volume: Administrations in the Consistory Court at Chichester 1555-1800
Chapter: Now Preserved in the Probate Registry at Winchester.
Text:
Name: Thomas Ayling
Gender: Male
Burial Date: 10 Apr 1794
Burial Place: Aldingbourn, Sussex, England
FHL Film Number: 1040967
Reference ID: item 1
Finally, William's descendant Edwin Ayling (1884-1935) married into another very much larger Ayling line that goes back to the early 1500's in Hampshire. He married Rosa Collins (1886-1978). Rosa was the granddaughter of George Ayling (1782-1831) of Alton, Hampshire.
See ancestry.com tree called "John Ayling (B. abt 1540) of Petersfield Hampshire & descendants Family Tree" or message me for a .GED file.
Chris Ayling