Ray (surname)

RayOrigin

Word/name| Bengali Hindu
Region of origin| Bengal

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
* Ajit Ray, Indian politician
* 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 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
* Dylan Ray (born 2001), American baseball player
* 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, multiple people
* 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
* Larry Ray (born 1959), American criminal convicted of sex trafficking, extortion, forced labor, and other offenses, sentenced to 60 years in prison
* 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
* Manmatha Ray (1899-1988), Bangladeshi playwright
* 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]

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. ^ a b Cottle (1969) pp. 158, 235.
5. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Ray Family History (n.d.).
25. ^ 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.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: year (link)
* "Rai Family History". Ancestry.com. n.d. Retrieved 17 December 2018.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: year (link)
* "Rye Family History". Ancestry.com. n.d. Retrieved 17 December 2018.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: year (link)
* Reaney, PH (1995). Wilson, RM (ed.). A Dictionary of English Surnames (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-8631464.

Surname list

This page lists people with the surname Ray.
If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name(s) to the link.

Authority control databases

International|

* FAST

National|

* United States
* Israel