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Rays Family History

Rays Surname Meaning

Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups - by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics (like red hair). Many of the modern surnames in the dictionary can be traced back to Britain and Ireland.


Similar surnames: Ras, Ray, Rais, Rayo, Raya, Rayas, Days, Rayos, Rys, Raus

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Rays family from?

You can see how Rays families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Rays family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Rays families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 6 Rays families living in Hampshire. This was about 55% of all the recorded Rays's in United Kingdom. Hampshire had the highest population of Rays families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Rays surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Rays ancestors do for a living?

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

View Census Data for Rays | 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 Rays family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 3,000 census records available for the last name Rays. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Rays census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Rays

Passenger Lists

There are 394 immigration records available for the last name Rays. 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 Rays immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Rays. For the veterans among your Rays ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Rays military records

You've only scratched the surface of Rays family history

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What is the average Rays lifespan?

Between 1967 and 2003, in the United States, Rays life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Rays in 1967 was 76, and 76 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Rays

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Rays 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.

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