Earry - what does Earry surname mean? This uncommon and
intriguing name is of Old Norse origin, and is found chiefly in
the north western counties of England, reflecting the dense
settlement of Scandinavian peoples in those areas. The surname
is locational, from places such as Aira Beck or Aira Force near
Ullswater in Cumberland, or some other minor or unrecorded place
also named with the Old Norse term `eyrara`, meaning `gravel-
bank stream or river`. The surname may also be topographical in
origin, denoting residence by such a gravel- bank. Locational
surnames were used particularly as a means of identification by
those who left their birthplace to settle elsewhere, and
regional dialectal differences as well as varying standards of
literacy frequently led to the formation of variant forms of the
original name. In this instance, the modern surname forms range
from Airey, Airy, Ayre(e) and Aery, to Erie, Eyre(e), Errey,
Earie and Earey. Early examples include: Clemens Erie (1576,
Lancashire); Robert Erye (1584