Edwin George Ayling was born in Southampton, Hampshire, England in 1889 and his birth was registered in the first quarter of that year. He was the son of Edwin Jessop Ayling (1867-1917) and Kate Chalcraft (1870-1913), Southampton-natives who had married there in late 1888. Edwin had one sibling, a brother named Alfred Hollis (b. 1890).

On the 1891 census the family are living at 143 Northern Road, St Mary, Southampton. Edwin's father is described as a ship's steward. On the 1901 census Edwin's parents and younger sibling are living at 19 Clifton Terrace, All Saints, Southampton and his father is described as a bookmaker's clerk. Edwin is not present, but listed elsewhere at 46 James Street with a Mr and Mrs William H. Jelly, described as his step-parents.

Edwin was married in Southampton in early 1910 to Eva Lilian Vine (born in 1889 in Southampton). They welcomed their first child Eva Emma on March 25, 1910.

On the 1911 census Edwin, his wife and child are living at 22 Wilton Street, Southampton, the home of his mother-in-law Mrs Annie Elizabeth Vine, and Edwin is described as a ship's steward.

When he signed-on to the Titanic, on 4 April 1912, he gave his address as 22 Wilton Street, Southampton. His last ship had been the Olympic. As an assistant vegetable cook he received monthly wages of £4 10s.

Ayling died in the sinking. His body, if recovered, was never identified.

Edwin's widow, who had been pregnant at the time of the Titanic disaster, gave birth to a daughter Edna Rosina later in the year on September 16. They were later assisted financially by the Titanic Relief Fund.

Eva was remarried in Fulham, London 1915 to Walter Savage and they had two sons, Walter and Raymond. She died in Southampton in 1929 aged 39.

His daughter Edna was married in Southampton in 1936 to John Dennis and they had three children. She died in 1990 in Southampton.

His daughter Eva was married in 1949 to Walter Key and they had one son. She died in Southampton in 1971.