Where Does the Grae Surname Come From?

Spellings drift, and Grae is where Gray drifted for some families. The name is usually explained as “Grey-haired”.

• Grae sounds close to Gore and Góra, so it can help to search both.
• Related forms: Graye and Grey.
• Spelled with “e” instead of “y”, Grae shows how the same name was heard and written differently.
• Spellings drifted because names were written down by ear in parish books, tax rolls and passenger lists.

Heraldry and the Grae name

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Gray surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon. For the full story, order the Grae surname pack.