Ray (surname)

Ray
Gender Male
Origin
Word/name England, Normandy, Scotland ,India
Meaning King
Other names
Alternative spelling Ray
Related names Roy, Rex, King

Ray is an English, Scottish Gaelic, and French name of Norman origin. This family name originated from the Normans, the descendants of Norse Vikings from Denmark, Norway and Iceland who later migrated to Normandy.[1][2] This surname comes from the Old French word rey or roi, meaning "king". It also derived from the same source of the surname Roy. Occasionally this was used as a personal name. The Normans brought this surname to England, which in medieval times was used as a nickname either for one who behaved in a regal fashion, or who had earned the title in some contest of skill.[3]

In India, Ray is a surname generally given as a historical title of honour in India conferred by the British Raj. [4][5]

Ray may refer to:

People

Fictional characters

See also

References

  1. Discover the meaning and history behind your last name, Ancestry.com, retrieved August 4, 2017 which cited Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4 for the surname "Ray".
  2. "Norman". Encyclopædia Britannica.
  3. The Norman people and their existing descendants in the British dominions and the United States of America. Genealogical Pub Co. 1874. p. 403 & 321. ISBN 9780806306360. for the surname of "King" and "Roy".
  4. Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition, 1989: from Skr. rāj: to reign, rule; cognate with L. rēx, rēg-is, OIr. , rīg king (see RICH).
  5. Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd edition (June 2008), on-line edition (September 2011): "spec. In full British Raj. Direct rule in India by the British (1858–1947); this period of dominion."
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.