Ray History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The saga of the name Ray begins with a Strathclyde-Briton family in the ancient Scottish/English Borderlands. It is a name for a person known as a timid or shy person. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old English word ray, that referred to a roe or female deer. [1]

Early Origins of the Ray family

The surname Ray was first found in Cumberland at Gill, in the parish of Bromfield which belonged to the family from the time of William the Lion, king of Scotland (died 1214.) “Tradition says, that the original Ray was a faithful adherent of the Scottish monarch, by whom he was greatly esteemed, for his extraordinary swiftness of foot in pursuing the deer and who gave him the estate. The tenure was by a pepper-com rent, with the stipulation, that the name of William should be perpetuated in the family. This was strictly observed from generation to generation, until the latter half of the last [of the 18th] century, when the Mr. William Reay in possession gave to the ‘ hope of the house ‘ the name of John. ” [1]

Thomas filius Ray witnessed confirmation by Alexander, son of Walter, of his father’s gift to the church of Paisley in 1239. [2]

While there is no doubt of the family’s origin in the north of England, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Reginald le Raye, in Oxfordshire; Nicholas le Ray in Suffolk; and Richard le Ray in Cambridgeshire. [3]

Early History of the Ray family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ray research. Another 245 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1487, 1465, 1530, 1558, 1350, 1612, 1376, 1627, 1705, 1671, 1748, 1627, 1705, 1670 and are included under the topic Early Ray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ray Spelling Variations

Spelling and translation were hardly exact sciences in Medieval Scotland. Sound, rather than any set of rules, was the basis for spellings, so one name was often spelled different ways even within a single document. Spelling variations are thus an extremely common occurrence in Medieval Scottish names. Ray has been spelled Rae, Rea, Ree, Ray and others.

Early Notables of the Ray family (pre 1700)

Notable amongst the family at this time was William Rae (d. 1376) a 14th century Bishop of Glasgow. Centuries later, John Ray (1627-1705) was an English naturalist, who was one of the early botanical and zoological systematists, eponym of the fish named ray. James Rae (1671-1748), was a Scottish mechanic and historian, son of a clockmaker, born at Dumfries. He… 
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ray Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ray World Ranking

In the United States, the name Ray is the 173^rd most popular surname with an estimated 136,785 people with that name. [4] However, in France, the name Ray is ranked the 1,402^ndmost popular surname with an estimated 4,082 people with that name. [5] And in Australia, the name Ray is the 799^th popular surname with an estimated 4,920 people with that name. [6]New Zealand ranks Ray as 926^th with 803 people. [7] The United Kingdom ranks Ray as 765^thwith 8,760 people. [8]

 Migration of the Ray family to Ireland

Some of the Ray family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

 Ray migration to the United States +

Such hard times forced many to leave their homeland in search of opportunity across the Atlantic. Many of these families settled along the east coast of North America in communities that would become the backbones of the young nations of the United States and Canada. The ancestors of many of these families have rediscovered their roots in the 20th century through the establishment of Clan societies and other patriotic Scottish organizations.