Find out how popular the last name Coray is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Coray.
A French surname derived from the Old French word "coire" meaning "quail".
Coray, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Coray surname is from the 2010 census data.
Coray is the 88020th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Coray surname appeared 211 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Coray.
We can also compare 2010 data for Coray to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
Rank | 88020 | 79958 | 9.60% |
Count | 211 | 221 | -4.63% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.07 | 0.08 | -13.33% |
The surname Coray has its origins in France, believed to have emerged in the 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "corée," which means "curly-haired" or "curly." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with curly or wavy hair.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Coray can be traced back to the Normandy region of France. In the 17th century, a family bearing the surname Coray was documented in the town of Rouen, which was an important center of trade and commerce at the time.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Coray was Jean Coray, a merchant who lived in Rouen during the mid-17th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the textile trade and was a respected member of the local community.
Another notable figure from the 18th century was Pierre Coray, a French historian and writer born in 1737. He authored several works on the history of Normandy and was a member of the prestigious Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres.
In the 19th century, the name Coray gained some prominence in the field of education. Louis Coray (1823-1892) was a renowned French educator and advocate for universal education. He founded several schools and wrote extensively on educational reform.
The name Coray also has roots in Switzerland, where it is believed to have been introduced by French Huguenot refugees fleeing religious persecution in the 16th and 17th centuries. One notable Swiss Coray was Henri Coray (1820-1885), a politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Swiss Federal Council.
Another significant figure was André Coray (1890-1976), a Swiss artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraits. His works are featured in several museums and galleries throughout Switzerland and Europe.
While the surname Coray is not as common as some other French surnames, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, writers, educators, politicians, and artists.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Coray.
The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Coray was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 79.62% | 168 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 2.84% | 6 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 7.11% | 15 |
Hispanic Origin | 8.06% | 17 |
Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.
Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Coray has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 79.62% | 82.35% | -3.37% |
Black | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | 2.84% | 3.62% | -24.15% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S)% | (S)% |
Two or More Races | 7.11% | 3.17% | 76.65% |
Hispanic | 8.06% | 7.24% | 10.72% |
The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.
The history and meaning of the name Coray was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/coray-surname-popularity/">Coray last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Coray last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 7, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/coray-surname-popularity/.
"Coray last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/coray-surname-popularity/. Accessed 7 July, 2025
Coray last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/coray-surname-popularity/.
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