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Gray Family History

Gray Surname Meaning

English Scottish and Irish (especially Eastern Ulster; of Norman origin): habitational name from Graye in Calvados France named from the Gallo-Roman personal name Graec(i)us meaning ‘Greek’ + the locative suffix -acum. This is probably the chief source of the surname in Britain. English: nickname for someone with gray hair or a gray beard from Middle English grey (Old English grǣg grēg) ‘gray’. In Ireland it has been used as a translation of various Gaelic surnames derived from riabhach ‘brindled gray’ including Mac Giolla Riabhaigh; see McGreevy . In North America this surname has assimilated names with similar meaning from other languages. French: habitational name from Gray in Haute-Saône or Le Gray in Seine-Maritime.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Ray, Grau, Gay, Pray, Fray, Garay, Graf, Gram, Dray, Bray

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Gray family from?

You can see how Gray families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Gray family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Gray families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 465 Gray families living in New York. This was about 13% of all the recorded Gray's in USA. New York had the highest population of Gray families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Gray surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Gray ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Gray. 17% of Gray men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Gray women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Gray were Truck Driver and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Gray | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    17%
  • Farmer
    15%
  • Salesman
    4%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housewife
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Teacher
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Gray family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1 million census records available for the last name Gray. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Gray census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Gray

Passenger Lists

There are 207,000 immigration records available for the last name Gray. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 284,000 military records available for the last name Gray. For the veterans among your Gray ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Gray lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Gray life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Gray in 1940 was 36, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Gray

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