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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • English : from the Middle English female personal name Ayleve, Aylgive, Old English Æ{dh}elgifu, composed of the elements æ{dh}el ‘noble’ + gifu ‘gift’, which was borne by a daughter of King Alfred the Great, who became abbess of Shaftesbury.
  • English : from the Old Norse byname Eilífr, which is composed of the elements ei ‘always’ + lífr ‘life’.

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