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There are approximately 15,878 people named Ray in the UK. That makes it the 628th most common surname overall. Out of every million people in the UK, approximately 251 are named Ray.

Region of origin

British Isles

Country of origin

England

Language of origin

English

Religion of origin

Christian

Classification

English
Nickname

Related and similar surnames

Rae
Raye
Ra
Raya
Rayo
Rayes
Rai
Ras
Rayow
Rayn
Raiz
Raes
Rais
Raez
Rayos
Rayas
Rao
Wray
Rayi
Raa
Rayh
Rayee
Rayou
Rayoe
Raey
Rauy
Raae
Raai
Raay
Raii
Raee
Rayah
Rayey
Rayew
Rayd
Rayc
Raym
Rayk

The Ray surname in historical dictionaries

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857)

This name may have several origins. Ruadh and Reagh, Gaelic, swarthy, red, sandy complexioned. Re, the moon. Ray, a beam of light, luster. Re, from ruo, to rush, applied to a stream, rapids, whence the river Reay, in Caithness, Scotland. Rea, Cor. Br., wonderful, strange. Rhe, Welsh, a run, Rhedu, to run. Rhae, Welsh, a battle, the place of a battle; a chain.

Arthur, William (1857) An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. New York: Sheldon, Blakeman. Public Domain.

Patronymica Britannica (1860)

RAY. The estate of Gill, in the parish of Bromfield, co. Cumberland, belonged to the family of Reay, or Ra_y, from tlie time of William the Lion, king of Scotland, who died in 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 (which, like that of the Homeric hero, woSa ii}KVQ 'AxitvQ, exceeded that of most horsemen and dogs) and who gave him the estate. The tenure was by a pepper-corn rent, with the stipulation, that the name of William should be perpetuated in the familj-. This was strictly observed from generation to generation, until the latter half of the last century, when the Mr. William Reay in possession gave to the ' hope of the house ' the name of John. From these Reaj-s have sprung most, if not all, the Rays, Wreys, and Wrays, in England. John Ray, the naturalist, originally wrote himself Wray, and his ancestors, who but a generation or two before had emigrated from Cumbei"land, spelt their name indifferently Wray or Wrey. The surname itself was probably borrowed from the sobriquet of William the Lion's fleet-footed vassal, lia, or raa. being the A-Sax., and rae the Lowland Scottish for a roe. Hutchinson's Cumberland, 1794-, vol. ii. p. 302. The fish called a ray was so named after the great naturalist. There are several Le Rays in H.R.

Lower, Mark A (1860) Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom. London: J.R. Smith. Public Domain.

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