This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Garay family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Garay Family History

Garay Surname Meaning

Basque: Castilianized form of Garai, a habitational name from any of several places in Biscay named Garai, from Basque garai ‘high’, a derivative of gara ‘height, peak’.

Hungarian: habitational name for someone from a place called Gara.

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


Similar surnames

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Garay family from?

You can see how Garay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Garay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Garay families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 9 Garay families living in Durham. This was about 53% of all the recorded Garay's in United Kingdom. Durham had the highest population of Garay families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Garay surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Garay ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid Domestic Duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Garay. 100% of Garay women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Garay | 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 Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Garay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 16,000 census records available for the last name Garay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Garay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Garay

Passenger Lists

There are 7,000 immigration records available for the last name Garay. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Garay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Garay. For the veterans among your Garay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Garay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Garay family history

Discover More

What is the average Garay lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Garay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1961, and highest in 1969. The average life expectancy for Garay in 1954 was 47, and 67 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Garay ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Garay family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial