Ray (surname)

The surname Ray has several origins.

Origin of the surname

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

• 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
• Billy Jack Ray, EdD, American professor in Kinesiology
• Blaine Ray, American creator of TPR Storytelling
• Bob Ray, American filmmaker
• Bobby Ray (actor) (1899–1957), American comedian and film director
• 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

• 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

• Del Ray (disambiguation)
• Le Ray (disambiguation)
• Leray
• Rae (surname)
• Rai (surname)
• Ray (given name)
• Rey (surname)
• Rhea (name)
• Roy
• Wray (surname)

Citations

1. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
2. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Ray Family History (n.d.).
3. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Cottle (1969) pp. 158, 235.
4. Cottle (1969) pp. 158, 235.
5. Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
6. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Cottle (1969) pp. 158, 235; Ray Family History (n.d.).
7. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223.
8. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Cottle (1969) pp. 235, 241.
9. Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373.
10. 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.).
11. Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
12. Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445.
13. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Cottle (1969) pp. 235, 241.
14. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016a) p. 1805; Black (1971) p. 560; Cottle (1969) p. 189.
15. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016a) p. 1805; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 373; Black (1971) p. 560.
16. Reaney; Wilson (1995) pp. 373–374; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
17. 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.).
18. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) pp. 2225–2226.
19. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2223; Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445; Ray Family History (n.d.).
20. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) pp. 2962–2963; Reaney; Wilson (1995) pp. 504–505.
21. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) p. 2965; Reaney; Wilson (1995) p. 505.
22. Hanks; Coates; McClure (2016b) pp. 2962–2963.
23. Hanks; Hodges (1991) p. 445.
24. Ray Family History (n.d.).
25. Rai Family History (n.d.).

References

• 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.