Ayto Family from Leicester/Lincoln

[gortonboy]

So maybe she never got married,,,,,she just took the name of mortimer for a short while..for whatever reason.

[gortonboy]

AYTO SURNAME

This very unusual name can probably be best described as a variant dialectal spelling. It is believed that the name originates in the Lincolnshire region, an area of early 7th century Anglo-Saxon domination, and is a shortened version of the personal name "Hatto", itself, a variant of "Hadu" meaning "strife". Quite why anybody should be called "strife" is not clear, except that the Angles and the Saxons, as well as the later vikings were very fond of warlike names. The name development would appear to be from "Hatto" circa 15th Century, to Atto and Ato, one Thomas Ato being recorded as marrying Elizabeth Kew at Kyme, (Lincolnshire) on May 13th 1689 and to Ayto early in the 19th Century, whilst Priscilla Ayto married Joseph Drayton at Barrow on Humber on March 25th 1874. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Ayto, which was dated November 28th 1808, a christening witness at Grantham, Lincolnshire, during the reign of King George 111

[gortonboy]

Births Sep 1837   
 
Ayto  Harriet    Grantham  14 284

[samcraven]

Thank you for all this info........I feel like I am starting to get somewhere now!!!  sam

[davidrigg3]

Have you sent for any or the children's birth certificates? I suspect they would not show a Father's name, but Harriet showed it by using it as a middle name? Eliza appears in the index as Eliza Mortimer Ayto as well as the boys having it as a middle name. In addition to the children Wendy listed from the 1881 census there is also a George Mortimer Ayto JunQ 1865.

[jorose]

"Housekeeper" seems to often be used to explain away on censuses a woman living in a house with a man she's not married to.
Probably her and "Thomas Mortimer" from the 1881 census were in a common-law marriage.  He may be the father of some or all of the children.

In 1861 they are in Saint Margaret Leicester, RG9/2284 36/44
Thomas Mortimer, listed as widowed, he has several children with him, and then a lodger Harriet Ayto (not very clear surname), who is unmarried and has her son Thomas Henry with her.

[Ayto_Tracer]

I anyone is interested in further information on this family name, there is further information (with citations) on by dedicated website at:
http://www.bobcopeland.net/all-o/surname_index.htm

[Riojatinto]

Sam, I am connected to the Ayto family and have your Harriet on my tree.  I agree with what has been mentioned here in that probably she never married.  I havenīt found any record of a marriage for Harriet although I have to say, I have been focussing on other Ayto lines.  If i find anything, I will post.

[samcraven]

Hi there Riojatinto,

I've just told my dad that you have Harriet in your Family Tree......He was really pleased!!!  Is your Ayto family still in the leicester/Lincs area? Unfortunately not a lot is known about the Ayto side which was my dad's mum.  Good luck with all your searching. I've gone of the boil with it at the mo as I've recently had a baby but when i get some time i'll definately start again.
 
Sam