surname:Bray
I'm doing a report for multi-cultural class, and of course the professor wants to know our origin. My grandmother says her her family came from Ireland or Scotland-though not in the last 100 years. She seems postive of this, but has no proof. All the info I can find says Bray is of English origin. Her maiden name is Bray, and her mother's maiden name is Clark. Is is possible either are Irish/Scotish names?
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Clark is a common name in England and Scotland. Irish Clarks/Clarkes can be of English or Scottish origin, or they can be anglicised O'Clerys (O Cleirigh in Irish). According to Edward MacLysaght, about a half of all Irish Clarks/Clarkes are O'Clerys, but it is impossible to know now who was who.
Bray in Ireland can be of English origin,from a place-name said to mean "marsh." There was also an Irish family named O Breaghdha, in County Cork I think, which has either died out or adopted the name Bray. Older English language versions of O Breaghdha were O'Brahye, O'Brey and O'Bre, none found in Ireland today.
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Thanks so much!!:)
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There are also french Bray, only the pronounciation is different.
See the frenche site: www.jtosti.com/noms.
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