This is a patronymic i.e. "son of Ire", itself an ethnic name for an Irishman, deriving from the Olde Scandinavian "Ira". Ireby in Cheshire and Lincolnshire, recorded as Ireby in the Domesday Book of 1086, translate as "the settlement ("by") of the Irish ("Ira")", from the Olde Scandinavian "Irabyr". Two places in Derbyshire, recorded as Ireton in the Domesday Book are so named from the Olde English pre 7th Century "Ir(as)", Irish, plus "tun", a farm or settlement. The patronymic form of the name first appears on record towards the middle of the 17th Century, (see below). On June 17th 1635 Edward Ireson (aged 32) and Elizabeth Ireson (aged 27) embarked from London on the ship "Abigall" bound for New England. They were among the earliest recorded namebearers to settle in America. On October 10th 1642 John Ireson and Rachell Whitlocke were married in St. Stephen's, Coleman Street, London, and on January 5th 1719. Elizabeth Ireson and William Eaton were married in Sawley, Derbyshire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Elizabeth Ireson married Thomas Latham, which was dated April 27th 1635 in St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, during the reign of King Charles I, "The Martyr", 1625 - 1649. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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