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Dray Family History

Dray Name Meaning

English (Kent and Sussex): nickname from Middle English dri(e) drei (Old Norse drjúgr) ‘large tall’ also ‘doughty’ ‘patient long suffering’. Alternatively the nickname may occasonially derive from Middle English drie drei (Old English drȳge) ‘dry withered lacking in warmth of feeling’.

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


Similar surnames: Ray, Pray, Gray, Day, Tray, Bay, Bray, Drag, Wray, Fray

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

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Dray family from?

You can see how Dray families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Dray family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Dray families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 320 Dray families living in Kent. This was about 40% of all the recorded Dray's in United Kingdom. Kent had the highest population of Dray families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Dray surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Dray ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Dray. 17% of Dray men worked as a General Labourer and 71% of Dray women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Dray were Builders Labourer and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Dray | 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 Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    17%
  • Electrician
    9%
  • Bricklayer
    9%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    71%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Housewife
    3%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Dray family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 28,000 census records available for the last name Dray. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Dray census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Dray

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Dray. 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 Dray immigration records

Draft Cards

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

View all Dray military records

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What is the average Dray lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Dray life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1959, and highest in 1982. The average life expectancy for Dray in 1954 was 63, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Dray

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