The Bray Family History

What Does the Bray Surname Mean? Historical Origins Explained

The surname Bray is of English origin, deriving from the Old French word ‘bray,’ which translates to marshlands, and the Cornish term ‘bre,’ meaning a hill. Variations of the surname include Braie, Brea, Brayer, O’Bray, Braye, de Braye, and Bree. In England, the surname Bray is distributed throughout the entire country and extends into much of Wales. A significant concentration of individuals bearing the Bray surname can be found in Yorkshire, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Cornwall, Somerset, Devon, and the city of London. In Scotland, the Bray name appears in smaller numbers, predominantly in the counties of Midlothian, Lanarkshire, and Renfrewshire. In the United States, the earliest records of Bray families indicate settlements in Massachusetts, New York, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. Notable individuals with the surname include Charles Bray, an English artist and glass sculptor; Ray Bray, a professional football player; Robert Bray, an actor; Libba Bray, a novelist; Stephen Bray, a songwriter and musician; John Randolph Bray, an animator; Anna Eliza Bray, a 19th-century English novelist; Deanne Bray, an actress; and Hiawatha Bray, a journalist focused on technological advancements.