Show ContentsDelay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Delay family

The surname Delay was first found in the Rhine Valley, where the family has been a prominent family for centuries, and held a family seat with domains, estates and manors. The family were well established in the region of Strasburg north to the coast and several members of the family distinguished themselves through their contributions toward the community and their religious activities. They and were rewarded with lands, titles and letters patent confirming their nobility. The family was originally from Albigensia and their original name was Raymond. They held a family seat near Montpellier. Pierre Raymond de Layard left France for England at the Edict of Nantes. He was appointed a Major in General Verey's Regiment of Foot and joined him at the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland. The family settled at Riverssdale outside Dublin. Some of the family returned to England where they became Member of Parliament or distinguished army officers. Charles Peter Layard was Dean of Bristol.

Early History of the Delay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Delay research. Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Delay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Delay Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Layard, Laiyard, Layarde, Layerd, De Layard, d'layard and many more.

Early Notables of the Delay family

More information is included under the topic Early Delay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Delay Ranking

In the United States, the name Delay is the 10,104th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Delay is ranked the 4,876th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 2


United States Delay migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Delay Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Charles Delay, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 3
Delay Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • P H Delay, who landed in New Orleans, La in 1813 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Delay (post 1700) +

  • William Delay, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Tennessee, 2004 4
  • Thomas Dale DeLay (b. 1947), American Republican politician, Member of Texas State House of Representatives, 1979-85; U.S. Representative from Texas 22nd District, 1985- 4
  • Henry O. Delay, American politician, First Selectman of Harwinton, Connecticut, 1919-22 4
  • Henry J. Delay, American Republican politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Harwinton, 1937-40 4
  • Earle R. Delay, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for U.S. Senator from Kansas, 1914 4
  • Major-General Achille-Paul-Thophile Delay (1886-1965), French General Officer Commanding Detachément Shara L'Ouest (1943) 5


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  5. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, October 3) Achille-Paul-Thophile Delay. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Delay/Achille-Paul-Th%C3%A9ophile/France.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook