Rey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
France
Spain

From the historical and enchanting region of France emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Rey family. Originally, the French people were known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted in France is extremely interesting. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Often they adopted names that were derived from nicknames. Nickname surnames were derived from an eke-name, or added name. They usually reflected the physical characteristics or attributes of the first person that used the name. The name Rey is a nickname type of surname for a person of regal bearing or a person who played a king in a local festival. Looking back further, we find the name Rey was derived from the Old French word "roy," meaning "king."

Early Origins of the Rey family

The surname Rey was first found in Burgundy (French: Bourgogne), an administrative and historical region of east-central France, where the family has held a family seat since ancient times.

Early History of the Rey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rey research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1098, 1306, 1330, 1470, 1533, 1570, 1583, 1645, 1726 and 1803 are included under the topic Early Rey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rey Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Ray, Rays, Raie, Raies, Raye, Rayes, Rée, Rées, Rait, Rey, Reys, Rei, Reis, Duray, Leray, De Laray, Laray, du Ray, de Ray, Delurey and many more.

Early Notables of the Rey family

Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rey World Ranking

In the United States, the name Rey is the 4,744^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Rey is ranked the 112^nd most popular surname with an estimated 25,368 people with that name. 2 And in South America, the name Rey is the 47^th popular surname with an estimated 88 people with that name. 3

Rey migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jaques Dela Rey, who landed in Virginia in 1635 4
Peter Rey, who landed in Virginia in 1637 4
Eliz Rey, who landed in Virginia in 1650 4
Everard Rey, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 4
Hugh Rey, who arrived in Virginia in 1654 4

Rey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Claude Rey, aged 40, who arrived in Louisiana in 1720 4
Jurigh Mickel Rey, aged 22, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 4
John Andrew Rey, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 4

Rey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Agustin Rey, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1816 4
Luis Rey, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1816 4
George Rey, aged 68, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1832 4
Teresia Rey, aged 24, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1832 4
Tu Rey, aged 10, who landed in Mobile, Ala in 1832 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Rey (post 1700) +

Wager Rey, American politician, U.S. Consular Agent in Anguilla, 1884 5
Nicholas Andrew Rey (1938-2009), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Poland, 1993-97 5
Lilli J. Rey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 2008 5
Joseph A. Rey, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 5th District, 1954 5
Alain Rey (1928-2020), French linguist, lexicographer and radio personality
Louis Emmanuel Rey, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 6
Jean-Pierre-Antoine Rey, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 7
Jean-André Rey, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 8
Guillaume Rey, French Brigadier General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 9
Gabriel Venance Rey, French Divisional General during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1789 to 1815 10
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Rey Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Gracieuseté de Ray
Motto Translation: The graciousness of Ray

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"List of most common surnames in South America." Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most_common_surnames_in_South_America
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Louis Rey. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Jean-Pierre-Antoine Rey. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Jean-André Rey. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Guillaume Rey. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html
Generals Who Served in the French Army during the Period 1789-1815. (Retrieved 2015, August 27) Gabriel Rey. Retrieved from http://www.napoleon-series.org/research/c_frenchgenerals.html