Bray Family History

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’. 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.

English (of Norman origin): habitational name from any of several places in Normandy or Picardy called Bray (Eure Calvados Aisne Somme); see 6. English: variant of Braye.

Irish: from Ó Breaghdha denoting a descendant of a native of Bregia a territory in Meath.

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.