NameCensus.

UK surname

Tray

An occupational surname originating from a tray maker or seller.

In the 1881 census there were 63 people recorded with the Tray surname, ranking it #24,711 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 136, ranked #25,377, down from #24,711 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Walthamstow, Low Leyton, London parishes and St Pancras. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Tray is 137 in 2013. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 115.9%.

1881 census count

63

Ranked #24,711

Modern count

136

2016, ranked #25,377

Peak year

2013

137 bearers

Map years

5

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Tray had 63 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #24,711 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016, ranked #25,377.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 117 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Tray surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Tray surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Tray 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 65 #21,747
1861 historical 117 #18,635
1881 historical 63 #24,711
1891 historical 102 #23,719
1901 historical 71 #26,277
1911 historical 82 #24,635
1997 modern 115 #24,834
1998 modern 112 #25,856
1999 modern 114 #25,766
2000 modern 108 #26,549
2001 modern 108 #26,184
2002 modern 118 #25,358
2003 modern 110 #26,220
2004 modern 115 #25,740
2005 modern 109 #26,583
2006 modern 117 #25,695
2007 modern 122 #25,353
2008 modern 117 #26,351
2009 modern 125 #25,823
2010 modern 135 #25,127
2011 modern 129 #25,673
2012 modern 129 #25,705
2013 modern 137 #25,149
2014 modern 136 #25,452
2015 modern 136 #25,352
2016 modern 136 #25,377

Geography

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Where Trays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Walthamstow, Low Leyton, London parishes, St Pancras, Auckland St Andrew and St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham. 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 Walthamstow, Low Leyton Essex
2 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Auckland St Andrew Durham
5 St Paul Deptford, St Nicholas Deptford London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 058 County Durham
2 County Durham 064 County Durham
3 County Durham 056 County Durham
4 County Durham 057 County Durham
5 County Durham 047 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Tray

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Tray

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Tray, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Tray surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Tray household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Tray is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Tray is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

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

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Tray falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Tray 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 Tray, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Tray

The surname Tray has its origins in the French and Norman regions, stemming from the Old French word 'trei' or 'trey', meaning a weaver's tray or a flat basket used for sorting wool or other materials. This occupational name was likely adopted by those involved in the textile trade or weaving industry during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Tray can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire, England, dating back to 1273. In this historical record, a certain William le Trey is mentioned as residing in the village of Swaffham. This early spelling variation highlights the surname's evolution from its French roots.

During the 14th century, the surname Tray appeared in various documents across England, including the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Tray is listed as a taxpayer. This suggests that the name had already established itself in different parts of the country by this time.

In the 15th century, the surname Tray was also found in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence written by members of the influential Paston family in Norfolk, England. One letter, dated around 1472, mentions a certain Thomas Tray as a servant in the household.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Tray throughout history include:

1. John Tray (c. 1520 - c. 1580), an English merchant and alderman in the city of London during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. 2. William Tray (1630 - 1703), a Puritan minister and author from New England, known for his work "The Souls Prospect of Victory over Death." 3. Elizabeth Tray (1680 - 1754), a British philanthropist and benefactor who founded the Tray Charity School in Gloucestershire. 4. Thomas Tray (1745 - 1815), an English sculptor and wood carver, renowned for his intricate religious carvings in several churches across the country. 5. Margaret Tray (1805 - 1892), an American educator and abolitionist, who co-founded one of the first integrated schools in Pennsylvania.

While the surname Tray may have originated from a specific occupation, it has since taken on a broader meaning and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Tray families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Tray 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. Surrey leads with 10 Trays recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.34x.

County Total Index
Surrey 10 3.34x
Yorkshire 10 1.64x
Essex 9 7.42x
Middlesex 8 1.30x
Monmouthshire 8 18.01x
Lancashire 5 0.69x
Cornwall 3 4.31x
Kent 3 1.43x
Buteshire 1 26.88x
Gloucestershire 1 0.83x
Hertfordshire 1 2.36x
Nottinghamshire 1 1.21x
Staffordshire 1 0.48x
Sussex 1 0.97x
Warwickshire 1 0.65x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Leyton Low in Essex leads with 9 Trays recorded in 1881 and an index of 364.37x.

Place Total Index
Leyton Low 9 364.37x
Christchurch 8 583.94x
Hinderwell 7 1346.15x
Lambeth 5 9.33x
Southwark St George Martyr 5 40.45x
Hougham 3 240.00x
Liskeard 3 258.62x
Paddington London 3 13.28x
Fulwood 2 253.16x
Islington London 2 3.36x
Sculcoates 2 20.73x
Toxteth Park 2 8.10x
Birmingham 1 1.94x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 1 8.82x
Broadwater 1 42.02x
Chipping Barnet 1 135.14x
Cumbrae 1 256.41x
Liverpool 1 2.26x
Middlesbrough 1 12.61x
Radford 1 23.75x
St George Hanover 1 12.47x
St Marylebone London 1 3.05x
St Pancras London 1 2.02x
Wednesbury 1 19.31x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 5
Elizabeth 4
Annie 3
Sarah 3
Emma 2
Isabella 2
Margaret 2
Alice 1
Ann 1
Anwil 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Florrie 1
Hannah 1
Margret 1
Maud 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 3
William 3
Charles 2
George 2
John 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
C.H. 1
David 1
Edward 1
Frank 1
Frederick 1
Harriett 1
Joseph 1
Michael 1
Percy 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Tray households.

FAQ

Tray surname: questions and answers

How common was the Tray surname in 1881?

In 1881, 63 people were recorded with the Tray surname. That placed it at #24,711 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Tray surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 136 in 2016. That gives Tray a modern rank of #25,377.

What does the Tray surname mean?

An occupational surname originating from a tray maker or seller.

What does the Tray map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Tray 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.