NameCensus.

UK surname

Bray

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "hill" or "steep bank."

In the 1881 census there were 9,999 people recorded with the Bray surname, ranking it #428 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,190, ranked #537, down from #428 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Redruth and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bray is 13,414 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 21.9%.

1881 census count

9,999

Ranked #428

Modern count

12,190

2016, ranked #537

Peak year

1911

13,414 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bray had 9,999 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #428 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,190 in 2016, ranked #537.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13,414 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Bray surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bray surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bray surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bray over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 7,449 #378
1861 historical 7,481 #378
1881 historical 9,999 #428
1891 historical 10,680 #412
1901 historical 12,294 #427
1911 historical 13,414 #365
1997 modern 12,464 #487
1998 modern 12,938 #492
1999 modern 13,006 #493
2000 modern 12,898 #493
2001 modern 12,594 #492
2002 modern 12,863 #493
2003 modern 12,528 #496
2004 modern 12,438 #501
2005 modern 12,168 #508
2006 modern 12,166 #507
2007 modern 12,218 #512
2008 modern 12,151 #518
2009 modern 12,339 #526
2010 modern 12,575 #526
2011 modern 12,430 #524
2012 modern 12,104 #534
2013 modern 12,396 #533
2014 modern 12,422 #535
2015 modern 12,265 #536
2016 modern 12,190 #537

Geography

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Where Brays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Redruth, London parishes and Gwennap. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Redruth Cornwall
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Gwennap Cornwall

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 073 Cornwall
2 Cornwall 046 Cornwall
3 Cornwall 051 Cornwall
4 Cornwall 049 Cornwall
5 Cornwall 053 Cornwall

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bray

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bray surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bray

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bray, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Bray surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bray household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Bray is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bray is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bray falls in decile 4 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

4
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bray is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bray, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bray

The surname Bray originated in England, deriving from the Old French word "brai" or "bret," meaning a hill or a steep bank. It is believed to have emerged as a locational name, referring to individuals who lived near a prominent hill or elevated land.

The earliest recorded instances of the Bray surname can be traced back to the 12th century in various counties across England, including Essex, Berkshire, and Wiltshire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William de Bray, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Worcestershire in 1179.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, several places with names derived from the word "bray" are mentioned, such as Bray in Berkshire and Bray in Devon.

During the Middle Ages, the Bray surname was associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Sir Reginald Bray (c. 1440-1503), a prominent architect and courtier who served under King Henry VII. He played a significant role in the construction of St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and the Henry VII Chapel at Westminster Abbey.

Another notable bearer of the Bray surname was Thomas Bray (1658-1730), an English clergyman and philanthropist. He founded the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts (SPG), both influential organizations in the spread of Christianity and education.

In the literary realm, Anna Eliza Bray (1790-1883) was a renowned English novelist and writer. She authored several historical novels and travel books, including "A Description of the Part of Devonshire Bordering on the Tamar and the Tavy" and "The Borders of the Tamar and the Tavy."

The Bray surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England. For instance, Bray in Berkshire was recorded as "Bray" in the Domesday Book, while Bray in Devon was known as "Brai" in the 13th century.

Other notable individuals with the Bray surname include Sir Reginald Bray (c. 1475-1539), an English diplomat and courtier during the reign of King Henry VIII, and John Bray (1501-1558), an English churchman and Protestant reformer who played a role in the English Reformation.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bray families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bray surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Yorkshire leads with 1,433 Brays recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.47x.

County Total Index
Yorkshire 1,433 1.47x
Cornwall 1,406 12.64x
Middlesex 1,140 1.16x
Devon 633 3.10x
Lancashire 602 0.52x
Surrey 556 1.16x
Leicestershire 366 3.36x
Lincolnshire 277 1.76x
Kent 264 0.79x
Somerset 262 1.66x
Hampshire 219 1.09x
Warwickshire 209 0.84x
Wiltshire 198 2.28x
Hertfordshire 184 2.72x
Sussex 172 1.04x
Cheshire 170 0.78x
Gloucestershire 167 0.87x
Staffordshire 164 0.49x
Essex 147 0.76x
Worcestershire 137 1.07x
Herefordshire 134 3.33x
Northamptonshire 116 1.26x
Norfolk 113 0.75x
Shropshire 110 1.30x
Suffolk 95 0.79x
Derbyshire 92 0.60x
Glamorgan 84 0.49x
Berkshire 79 1.07x
Durham 66 0.23x
Nottinghamshire 61 0.46x
Buckinghamshire 45 0.76x
Oxfordshire 41 0.68x
Northumberland 37 0.25x
Bedfordshire 36 0.71x
Cumberland 35 0.41x
Channel Islands 33 1.13x
Lanarkshire 32 0.10x
Royal Navy 24 2.05x
Cambridgeshire 21 0.34x
Monmouthshire 21 0.30x
Pembrokeshire 11 0.35x
Cardiganshire 9 0.38x
Renfrewshire 9 0.12x
Caernarfonshire 7 0.18x
Carmarthenshire 6 0.14x
Dumfriesshire 6 0.28x
East Lothian 5 0.38x
Anglesey 4 0.23x
Montgomeryshire 4 0.18x
Wigtownshire 4 0.31x
Dorset 3 0.05x
Isle of Man 3 0.16x
Radnorshire 2 0.25x
Rutland 2 0.28x
Angus 1 0.01x
Berwickshire 1 0.08x
Brecknockshire 1 0.05x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.04x
Flintshire 1 0.04x
Midlothian 1 0.01x
Westmorland 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 112 Brays recorded in 1881 and an index of 1.31x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 112 1.31x
Islington London 105 1.10x
Gwennap 93 44.33x
Huddersfield 91 6.42x
Leeds 84 1.53x
Leicester St Margaret 80 3.01x
Newington 76 2.09x
Redruth 76 24.16x
St Pancras London 73 0.92x
Camborne 68 14.84x
Camberwell 67 1.07x
Bradford 65 2.76x
Manchester 64 1.22x
St Austell 64 16.84x
Bodmin 62 33.70x
Golcar 62 24.09x
Kensington London 58 1.06x
Aston 57 0.84x
Clerkenwell London 57 2.46x
Falmouth 55 13.97x
Hackney London 55 1.00x
West Ham 55 1.28x
Dawley 54 17.49x
Aylestone 52 60.56x
Wooldale 52 31.50x
Trowbridge 50 13.02x
Battersea 49 1.36x
Bedminster 49 3.30x
Kea 49 59.12x
Portsea 48 1.22x
Birmingham 47 0.57x
Holy Trinity 45 1.92x
Paddington London 45 1.25x
Ashton Under Lyne 44 1.73x
St Columb Major 44 47.68x
Stoke Damerel 44 3.07x
Barnsley 43 4.28x
St Marylebone London 43 0.82x
Nether Hallam 41 3.11x
Plymouth St Andrew 41 2.60x
St Stephen In Brannel 41 40.42x
Bethnal Green London 40 0.94x
Liverpool 40 0.57x
Kenwyn 39 13.41x
Nottingham St Mary 39 1.14x
Honley 38 22.31x
Sapcote 38 163.09x
Brixworth 37 93.65x
Enfield 37 5.74x
Brighton 36 1.08x
Mile End Old Town London 36 1.72x
Sheffield 36 1.16x
Liskeard 35 18.81x
Lockwood 35 10.00x
Chelsea London 34 1.15x
Harefield 34 67.23x
Shoreditch London 34 0.80x
Barrow In Furness 33 2.08x
Bradford On Avon 33 11.87x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 33 1.82x
Fulham London 33 2.32x
Hammersmith London 33 1.36x
Brightside Bierlow 32 1.68x
Calstock 32 14.67x
Sculcoates 31 2.01x
Friskney 29 58.12x
Plymouth Charles The 29 3.22x
Saddleworth 29 3.86x
Croydon 28 1.05x
Glossop Dale 28 3.89x
Hillingdon 28 8.94x
Lewisham 28 1.57x
Macclesfield 28 2.91x
St George Hanover Square 28 1.62x
Almondbury 27 5.74x
Dewsbury 27 2.70x
Great Grimsby 26 2.61x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 26 5.73x
St Keverne 26 42.46x
Midsomer Norton 25 16.78x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bray surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 739
Elizabeth 359
Sarah 301
Jane 216
Ann 205
Eliza 196
Emma 166
Annie 160
Emily 139
Ellen 132
Alice 127
Hannah 110
Maria 85
Martha 74
Louisa 73
Florence 66
Margaret 66
Harriet 65
Kate 59
Fanny 57
Caroline 56
Charlotte 54
Catherine 51
Ada 49
Edith 49
Anne 43
Clara 43
Amelia 42
Susan 38
Lucy 34
Laura 30
Grace 29
Rose 29
Esther 28
Bessie 26
Rebecca 26
Elizth. 25
Frances 25
Harriett 25
Julia 25
Agnes 24
Ruth 23
Jessie 21
Beatrice 20
Ethel 20
Isabella 19
Minnie 19
Selina 19
Sophia 18
Mabel 16

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bray surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 617
John 596
Thomas 291
James 287
George 266
Charles 221
Joseph 190
Henry 184
Richard 113
Arthur 112
Alfred 101
Walter 92
Samuel 90
Edward 84
Albert 82
Harry 69
Frederick 67
Robert 64
Edwin 61
Ernest 42
Frank 39
Benjamin 35
Herbert 32
Fred 31
Daniel 29
David 27
Wm. 27
Francis 26
Tom 26
Thos. 23
Geo. 18
Isaac 18
Joe 18
Willie 17
Fredrick 14
Edgar 13
Jas. 12
Mark 12
Christopher 11
Nicholas 11
Reginald 11
Matthew 10
Peter 10
Sam 10
Stephen 10
Andrew 9
Ben 9
Josiah 9
Willm. 9
Adam 8

FAQ

Bray surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bray surname in 1881?

In 1881, 9,999 people were recorded with the Bray surname. That placed it at #428 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bray surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,190 in 2016. That gives Bray a modern rank of #537.

What does the Bray surname mean?

An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "hill" or "steep bank."

What does the Bray map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bray bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.