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

Wray, 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 Wray surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wray in America

Wray is the 2367th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wray surname appeared 15,405 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Wray.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wray 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 Wray

The surname Wray has its origins in England, tracing back to the 11th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wrah," which means a corner or an angle, suggesting a possible connection to a location or a geographical feature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wraia" or "Wrea." This entry suggests that the name was already in use during the Norman Conquest of England.

The name Wray is closely associated with the Yorkshire region of England, particularly in areas such as Wray, a village in the Lune Valley. It is likely that the surname originated from this location, with early bearers taking their name from the place where they lived or were born.

In the 13th century, records mention individuals named John de Wra and William de Wra, indicating the use of the locative prefix "de," which was common practice at the time for surnames derived from place names.

Notable figures with the surname Wray throughout history include Sir Christopher Wray (1524-1592), who served as Lord Chief Justice of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another prominent individual was Sir William Wray (1555-1617), a member of the English Parliament and a supporter of the Puritan movement.

In the 17th century, Captain John Wray (1637-1701) was a British naval officer and explorer who is known for his voyages to the West Indies and his encounters with pirates in the Caribbean.

The Wrays of Glentworth in Lincolnshire were a influential family during the 18th and 19th centuries, with members such as Sir Cecil Wray (1734-1805), a prominent landowner and Member of Parliament.

Another notable figure was Sir Christopher Wray (1792-1863), a British Army officer who served in the Napoleonic Wars and later became a Member of Parliament.

While the name Wray has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration and colonization. However, its origins can be traced back to the early medieval period in the Yorkshire region, where it likely derived from a place name or a geographical feature.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wray

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

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

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

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