The surname Ray has several origins.
Origin of the surname[edit]
In some cases it originates from a nickname, derived from the Old French rei, roy, meaning "king",[1] which was sometimes also used as a personal name.[2] This nickname may have denoted a person's pride or swagger,[3] someone's appearance,[4] or regal behavior or bearing,[5] or may have referred to achievement in a contest,[5] royal service,[4] or may have denoted someone who presided over certain festive celebrations.[6] Early examples of forms of this surname include: William Lerei, in 1195 (Norfolk); Robert Raie, in 1206 (Cambridgeshire); and Thomas filius Rey, in 1296 (Cambridgeshire).[7]
In other cases, the surname originates from a nickname derived from the northern Middle English rā,[7] rae,[7] ray[5] (Old English rā,[8] Old Norse rā),[9] meaning "roe deer",[10] or the Middle English ray[11] (Old English rœge),[12] meaning "female roe deer".[11] This nickname may have denoted a timid person or a swift runner.[13]
In other cases, the surname is derived from the Scottish Gaelic Mac Raith,[7] a surname derived from the Gaelic personal name Macraith, "son of grace".[14] Early examples of forms of this surname include: Alexander Macrad, in about 1225 (Dumbartonshire); Patric McRe, in 1376 (Dumfriesshire); and Adam McCreich, in 1438.[15]
In other cases, the surname is a variant of Rye.[16] In such cases, the surname may originate from two locative names: one is derived from a form of the Middle English atter ye, "meaning at the island" (Old English œt thœre ige), for someone who lived on an island or a patch of firm ground; the other is derived from a form of the Middle English atter eye, meaning "at the river" (Old English œt thœre eœ) for someone who lived near a river or stream.[17] Early examples of forms of the surname Rye include: William de Rye, in 1240 (Essex); Ralph de Rye, in 1248 (Essex); and Ralph de la Reye, in 1279 (Oxfordshire).[18]
In other cases, the surname may be a variant of the surname Wray,[19] a variant of Wroe,[20] derived from the Middle English wroe (Old Scandinavian vrá), meaning "nook, corner of land".[21] Early examples of forms of the surname Wray include: Willelmus del Wra, in 1379 (Lancashire); Ricardus del Wra, in 1377 (West Yorkshire); and Willelmus in the Wraa, in 1379 (West Yorkshire).[22]
In other cases, the surname is of Ashkenazic Jewish origin.[23] In other cases, the surname may have originated as locative name, derived from the Old French raier, meaning "to gush, stream, or pour".[24] In other cases, the surname is a variant of Indian surname Rai.[24] In some case, the surname Rai is derived from the Sanskrit raja, meaning "king". In other cases, specifically in Karnataka, the origin of the surname is unknown.[25]
People with this surname[edit]
- Adam E. Ray (1808–1865), American politician
- Adam Ray (comedian), American comedian and actor
- Adil Ray (born 1974), British radio and television presenter
- Aindrita Ray (born 1984), Indian film actress
- A. N. Ray Ajit Nath Ray (1912–2010), Indian Bengali jurist
- Aldo Ray (1926–1991), American actor
- Allan Ray (born 1984), American professional basketball player
- Amy Ray (born 1964), American singer-songwriter, member of the Indigo Girls
- Andrew Ray (1939–2003), British actor
- Anna Chapin Ray (1865–1945), American author
- Annada Shankar Ray (1904–2002), Indian Bengali poet and essayist
- Benjamin Ray (1819–?), American politician
- Bharatchandra Ray (1712–1760), Indian Bengali poet and composer
- Bill Ray (disambiguation), several people
- Bill Ray (bishop) (born 1950), Anglican bishop of North Queensland in Australia
- Bill Ray (politician) (1922–2013), American businessman, politician, and writer
- Bill Ray (photojournalist) (1936–2020), photojournalist
- Billy Ray (screenwriter), screenwriter, director, and producer
- Blaine Ray, American creator of TPR Storytelling
- Bob Ray, American filmmaker
- Bobby Ray (actor) (1899–1957), American comedian and film director
- Bobby Ray (singer), American recording artist from Texas
- Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Filipino professional basketball player
- Bonnie Ray, American statistician and data scientist
- Brian Ray (born 1955), American musician
- Charles Ray (Indiana judge) Charles A. Ray (1829–1912), American judge
- Charles W. Ray (1872–1959), American recipient of Medal of Honor
- Charlotte B. Ray (c. 1813 – 25 October 1891), American prominent suffragist and abolitionist
- Chris Ray (born 1982), American baseball pitcher
- Clifford Ray (born 1949), American basketball coach and former player
- Daniel Burrill Ray (1928–1979), American mathematician
- Danny Ray (singer) (born 1951), Jamaican-born reggae singer and record producer
- Danny Ray (saxophonist) (born 1951), American saxophonist
- David Parker Ray (1939–2002), American suspected serial killer (known as the "Toy-Box Killer")
- David Ray (poet) (1932-), American poet
- David R. Ray (1945–1969), United States Navy sailor
- Dave "Snaker" Ray (1943–2002), American blues singer and guitarist
- Dixy Lee Ray (1914–1994), American scientist and politician, former Governor of Washington
- Dorothy Jean Ray (1919–2007), American anthropologist
- Dwijendralal Ray (1863–1913), Indian Bengali poet, playwright, and musician
- Edgar Ray (1828–1905), founder of "Punch" magazines in Australia
- Elise Ray (born 1982), American gymnast
- Elizabeth Ray (born 1943), American model and sex scandal figure
- Elmer Ray (1911–1987), American heavyweight boxer
- Emmanuel Ray, Sri Lankan presenter and human rights activist
- Frank Edward "Ed" Ray (1921–2012), American bus driver hero in 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping
- Fred Olen Ray (born 1954), American director, producer, screenwriter, actor, and cinematographer
- Gabrielle Ray (1883–1973), British stage actress, dancer and singer
- Ganendra Narayan Ray (born 1933), Indian Bengali jurist
- Gene Ray, American, creator of website Time Cube
- Gene Anthony Ray (1962–2003), American actor, dancer, and choreographer
- George Augustus Ray (1819–1893), American politician
- Gordon Norton Ray (1915–1986), American biographer and professor of English
- Gourishankar Ray (1838–1917), Indian Odia language activist
- Greg Ray (born 1966), American IRL IndyCar Series driver
- Herbert J. Ray (1893–1970), American admiral
- Isaac Ray (1807–1881), American psychiatrist
- James Ray (disambiguation) several people, including:
- James B. Ray (1794–1848), American politician
- James Earl Ray (1928–1998), American convicted of assassinating Martin Luther King
- James Enos Ray Jr. (1874–1934), American politician
- James Ray (rock musician), rock musician, member of The Sisterhood and James Ray's Gangwar
- James Ray (singer) (1941–1964), African-American R&B singer
- Jamini Bhushan Ray (1879–1926), Indian Bengali physician, Sanskritist, and philanthropist
- Janisse Ray (born 1962), American writer, naturalist, and environmental activist
- Jean Ray (1941–2007), American folk singer of Jim and Jean duo
- Jean Ray (author), Belgian writer
- Jeremy Ray, Australian television presenter and video game reviewer
- Jimmy Ray (born 1970), British pop-rock musician
- Joe Ray, of Nero (musicians), British dubstep trio
- John Ray (1627–1705), British naturalist
- John H. Ray (1886–1975), American politician
- Johnnie Ray (1927–1990), American singer, songwriter, and pianist
- Johnny Ray (racing driver) (1937–2020), American NASCAR driver
- Johnny Ray (second baseman) (born 1957), American baseball player
- Joie Ray (athlete) (Joseph W. Ray; 1894–1978), American middle-distance runner
- Joie Ray (racing driver) (Joseph Reynolds Ray, Jr.; 1923–2007), American race car driver
- Jonah Ray (born 1982), American actor, comedian and writer
- Joseph Ray (disambiguation), includes
- Joseph Warren Ray (1849–1928), American politician
- Karen B. Ray, American politician
- Ken Ray (born 1974), American baseball pitcher
- LaBryan Ray (born 1997), American football player
- Lionel Ray (born 1935), French poet and essayist
- Lisa Ray (born 1972), Canadian actress and former model
- Little Ray, American musician
- Man Ray (1890–1976), American artist
- Manju Ray, Indian Bengali biochemist and cancer researcher
- Mary Ruth Ray (1956–2013), American classical violist
- Mike Ray (1936–2021), Canadian politician
- Nicholas Ray (1911–1979), American filmmaker
- Niharranjan Ray (1903–1981), Indian Bengali historian
- Norman W. Ray (born 1942), American admiral
- Ola Ray (born 1960), American model and actress
- Prafulla Chandra Ray (1861–1944), Indian Bengali chemist, educator and entrepreneur
- Pratibha Ray (born 1943), Indian Odia writer
- Rabi Ray (1926–2017), Indian Odia politician, former speaker of Lok Sabha
- Rachael Ray (born 1968), American television personality, celebrity chef and author
- Radhanath Ray (1848–1908), Indian Odia poet
- Raja Sitaram Ray (1658–1714), Indian rebel king who fought against the Mughal Empire
- Ray brothers, American, three hemophiliac brothers diagnosed with HIV in 1986
- Reginald Ray, American Buddhist academic and Vajra Master
- Renuka Ray (1904–1997), Indian Bengali social activist
- Rex Ray, American fine artist and graphic designer
- Richard Ray (1927–1999), American politician
- Richie Ray (born 1945), American musician and minister of duo Richie Ray & Bobby Cruz
- Ricky Ray (born 1979), Canadian and American football quarterback
- Rob Ray (born 1968), Canadian sports broadcaster and former ice hockey player
- Robbie Ray (born 1991), American baseball pitcher
- Robbie Ray (racing driver), American racing driver
- Robert Ray (disambiguation), several people
- Robert D. Ray (1928–2018), Governor of Iowa 1969 to 1983
- Robert D. Ray (1978–2000), one of the Ray brothers (above)
- Robert R. Ray, Reconstruction era sheriff and state legislator in Feliciana, Louisiana
- Robert Ray (artist) (1924–2002), American artist
- Robert Ray (Australian politician) (born 1947), Labor Party Senator for Victoria
- Robert Ray (prosecutor) (born 1960), final Whitewater Special Counsel
- Robert Ray (baseball) (born 1984), baseball pitcher
- Robin Ray (1934–1998), British actor, musician and broadcaster
- Ronnie Ray (born 1954), American track and field athlete
- Ruth Ray (1919–1977), American artist
- Sandip Ray (born 1953), Indian Bengali filmmaker
- Satyajit Ray (1921–1992), Indian Bengali filmmaker
- Scottie Ray (born 1964), American voice actor
- Shannon Ray (born 1995), American sprinter
- Shawn Ray (born 1965) American author and former professional bodybuilder
- Sibnarayan Ray (1921–2008), Indian Bengali educationist, philosopher and literary critic
- Siddhartha Shankar Ray (1920–2010), chief minister of West Bengal and governor of Punjab
- Siddharth Ray (1963–2004), Indian Marathi actor
- Sidney Herbert Ray (1858–1939), American linguist
- Stevie Ray (born 1958), American wrestler
- Sukumar Ray (1887–1923), Indian Bengali nonsense poet, story writer and playwright
- Tanika Ray, American television personality
- Ted Ray (comedian) (1905–1977), British comedian
- Ted Ray (golfer) (1877–1943), British professional golfer
- Thomas S. Ray, American ecologist who created the Tierra project
- Upendrakishore Ray (1863–1915), Indian Bengali writer, painter, violinist and composer
- William Ray (disambiguation) several people, including
- Sir William Ray (British politician), Leader of London County Council, MP for Richmond
- William Ray (medicine) (1884–1953), academic in Adelaide, South Australia
- William H. Ray (1812–1881), United States Representative from Illinois
- William Hallett Ray (1825–1909), Canadian politician, farmer, and merchant
- William M. Ray (born 1963), American judge
- Wyatt Ray (born 1996), American football player
Fictional characters[edit]
- Amuro Ray
- Charles Lee Ray, known as Chucky (Child's Play)
- Marcus Ray, main character in the 1998 movie Knock Off (film)
- Max Ray, main character in the 1986 animated series Centurions (TV_series)
See also[edit]
- Del Ray (disambiguation)
- Le Ray (disambiguation)
- Leray
- Rae (surname)
- Rai (surname)
- Ray (given name)
- Rey (surname)
- Rhea (name)
- Roy
- Wray (surname)
Citations[edit]
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Ray Family History (n.d.).
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Cottle (1969) pp. 158, 235.
- ^ a b Cottle (1969) pp. 158, 235.
- ^ a b c Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Cottle (1969) pp. 158, 235; Ray Family History (n.d.).
- ^ a b c d Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223.
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Cottle (1969) pp. 235, 241.
- ^ Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373.
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Cottle (1969) pp. 235, 241; Ray Family History (n.d.).
- ^ a b Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
- ^ Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445.
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Cottle (1969) pp. 235, 241.
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016a) p. 1805; Black (1971) p. 560; Cottle (1969) p. 189.
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016a) p. 1805; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Black (1971) p. 560.
- ^ Reaney; Wilson (1995) pp. 373–374; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) pp. 2225–2226, 2310; Reaney; Wilson (1995) pp. 373–374, 387; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 464; Rye Family History (n.d.).
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) pp. 2225–2226.
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) pp. 2962–2963; Reaney; Wilson (1995) pp. 504–505.
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2965; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 505.
- ^ Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) pp. 2962–2963.
- ^ Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445.
- ^ a b Ray Family History (n.d.).
- ^ Rai Family History (n.d.).
References[edit]
- Black, GF (1971) [1946]. The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning, and History. New York: The New York Public Library. ISBN 0-87104-172-3. OL 8346130M.
- Cottle, B (1969) [1967]. The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Penguin Reference Books. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-051032-4. OL 22912501M.
- Hanks, P; Coates, R; McClure, P, eds. (2016a). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Vol. 3. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-879883-5.
- Hanks, P; Coates, R; McClure, P, eds. (2016b). The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland. Vol. 4. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-879884-2.
- Hanks, P; Hodges, F (1991) [1988]. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-10-211502-8. OL 2044914M.
- "Ray Family History". Ancestry.com. n.d. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- "Rai Family History". Ancestry.com. n.d. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- "Rye Family History". Ancestry.com. n.d. Retrieved 17 December 2018.
- Reaney, PH (1995). Wilson, RM (ed.). A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-8631464.
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