Explore the Family Name Bray
The meaning of Bray
1. English: habitational name from any of the places in Berkshire and Devon. The former is probably named with Old French bray ‘marsh’, the latter from the Cornish element bre ‘hill’. 2. English: perhaps a topographic name from northern Middle English bra ‘steep (river) bank’ or ‘brow of a hill’, denoting someone who lived at such a place. 3. English (of Norman origin): habitational name from any of several places in Normandy or Picardy called Bray (Eure, Calvados, Aisne, Somme); see 6. 4. English: variant of Braye. 5. Irish: from Ó Breaghdha, denoting a descendant of a native of Bregia, a territory in Meath. 6. French: habitational name from (Le) Bray, the name of several places in various parts of France named with Old French brai ‘mud, mire’ (from Late Latin bracium, a word of Gaulish origin). Compare Brais and Dubray.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bray in the United States?
The Bray surname held a popularity rank of 923 in the year 2000, based on the Decennial U.S. Census data. However, by 2010, it had slipped to rank 1003, reflecting a decrease of 8.67% over the decade. The count of individuals with the surname Bray saw a minimal increase of 0.96%, moving from 34,575 in 2000 to 34,906 in 2010. Proportionally, this represented a decrease from 12.82 per 100,000 people to 11.83 per 100,000 people, a drop of 7.72%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #923 | #1,003 | -8.67% |
| Count | 34,575 | 34,906 | 0.96% |
| Proportion per 100k | 12.82 | 11.83 | -7.72% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bray
In terms of ethnic identity, the Bray surname demonstrates a diverse range of origins. According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, in 2010, the majority of individuals with the surname Bray identified as White, at 81.76%, down slightly from 83.07% in 2000. Those identifying as Black made up 12.26%, virtually unchanged from 12.27% in 2000. A small, but growing percentage identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, increasing from 0.47% in 2000 to 0.60% in 2010. The fastest growth was seen among those identifying as Hispanic, which rose from 1.75% to 2.33%. Individuals identifying as two or more races also increased noticeably from 1.62% to 2.21%. Lastly, American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively steady, rising slightly from 0.82% to 0.84%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 83.07% | 81.76% | -1.58% |
| Black | 12.27% | 12.26% | -0.08% |
| Hispanic | 1.75% | 2.33% | 33.14% |
| Two or More Races | 1.62% | 2.21% | 36.42% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.82% | 0.84% | 2.44% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.47% | 0.6% | 27.66% |
Bray ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Bray is British & Irish, which comprises 56.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (22.6%) and Eastern European (4.3%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 56.3% |
| French & German | 22.6% |
| Eastern European | 4.3% |
| Other | 16.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Bray
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Bray have recent ancestry locations all within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 89.20% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 89.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.90% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.80% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.80% |
What Bray haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Bray is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-Z138 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Morris, Walker, Jones, Thomson, Lloyd, Lewis, Morgan, Richards, Davis, Butcher.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Bray surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Bray have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Bray" Surname 43.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Bray" Surname 26.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Bray" Surname 24.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Bray" Surname 19.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Bray?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Bray are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition