Find out how popular the last name Ray is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Ray.

Ray, 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 Ray surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ray in America

Ray is the 220th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ray surname appeared 133,171 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 45 people would have the surname Ray.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ray 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.

The history of the last name Ray

The surname Ray has its origins in the Old French word 'rai', which means 'ray' or 'beam of light'. This surname likely emerged in medieval times, around the 11th or 12th century, in the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France.

It is believed that the name Ray was initially used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone who had a radiant or cheerful personality, or perhaps someone with bright or golden hair. It could also have been applied to people who lived near a clearing in a forest where sunlight streamed through.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Ray can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and wealth in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears as 'Rai' in this historical document.

In the 12th century, a notable individual named Richard Rai was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in England, indicating the presence of the surname in that region during that time period.

The surname Ray has also been associated with various place names, such as Ray in Oxfordshire, England, and Raye in Normandy, France. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Ray dates back to the 13th century, with a person named John Ray mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Ray, including:

1. John Ray (1627-1705), an English naturalist and botanist, considered one of the founders of modern plant taxonomy.
2. Satyajit Ray (1921-1992), an Indian filmmaker, widely regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of world cinema.
3. Man Ray (1890-1976), an American visual artist known for his contributions to the Dada and Surrealist movements.
4. James Earl Ray (1928-1998), an American criminal convicted of assassinating Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968.
5. Nicholas Ray (1911-1979), an American film director known for his work in the film noir and western genres, including the classic "Rebel Without a Cause".

The surname Ray has maintained its presence throughout various regions, particularly in England, France, and parts of the United States, where it continues to be a common surname to this day.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ray

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Ray.

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:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Ray was:

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 Ray has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

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 Ray was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Ray, please contact us.

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