« Reply #32 on: Tuesday 03 November 15 11:59 GMT (UK) »
It can be an interesting and frustrating exercise trying to establish what came first. The name or the people.
Historically people used just a single name to identify themselves and maybe a trade or place name if meeting someone from outside the boundary of their existence.
And while we can point to a name and have a good guess at its original location - to suggest a group of people who adopt names from a language, makes all the holders of that name from that group is tricky
Ayres come from Wiltshire as well.
A biographer of English/Australian Explorer Edward Eyre - derivation- has gone the Norman Knight route.
I think the DNA solution is a good one and Debbie Kennett has a wonderful book which shows how names can be proven to be localized using DNA."' The Surnames Handbook '' focuses on one name studies and how it can be narrowed down to one or two villages at times. ( I picked the book up for its content but also it had one of my ancestors names in it showing localized in Lincolnshire - which lead to a breakthrough)
Some Ayres come from Gypsy stock but not all Ayres do.
Genealogy-Its a family thing
Paternal: Gibbins,McNamara, Jenkins, Schumann, Inwood, Sheehan, Quinlan, Tierney, Cole
Maternal: Munn, Simpson , Brighton, Clayfield, Westmacott, Corbell, Hatherell, Blacksell/Blackstone, Boothey , Muirhead
Son: Bull, Kneebone, Lehmann, Cronin, Fowler, Yates, Biglands, Rix, Carpenter, Pethick, Carrick, Male, London, Jacka, Tilbrook, Scott, Hampshire, Buckley
Brickwalls- Schumann, Simpson,Westmacott/Wennicot
Scott, Cronin
Gedmatch Kit : T812072