By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, the village was known as Ailesbergon though, in common with many place names, it had many spellings over the years, including Aillesbir and Ailesberga.

Aylesbeare made national headlines in August 1978 after the disappearance of 13-year-old Genette Tate, who lived in the village.

In 2016, the police announced that they believed serial killer Robert Black to be responsible, but could not charge him as he had since died.

[3] Although the population is widely distributed around the parish, it clusters in Aylesbeare Village itself, the hamlets of Rosamundford and Withen, and small groups of houses on the site of former farm buildings.

However, agriculture is no longer the main source of employment, with many people working in Exeter and surrounding towns.