Show ContentsJuray History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Juray

What does the name Juray mean?

The descendants of the clans of the ancient Scottish tribe known as the Picts were the first to use the name Juray. It was a name for a person who held the office of Dereth.

Early Origins of the Juray family

The surname Juray was first found in Fife, where "Durie, [is] an estate in the parish of Scoonie." 1

Some of the first records of the family include: "Duncan de Durry witnessed a charter by Malise, earl of Strathem, c. 1258-1271. John Dury [who] was cleric in St. Andrews diocese, 1464, and Walter Doray [who] was one of the brethren of the Priory of Cupar, 1500. Mr. Andrew Dure was presented to the vicarage of Newtyle, 1519, George Dury witnessed a presentation in St. Andrews, 1526, and Joneta Durye had sasine of lands in Ayrshire, 1564. " 2

Early History of the Juray family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Juray research. Another 302 words (22 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1296, 1464, 1496, 1519, 1526, 1527, 1530, 1537, 1555, 1558, 1561, 1564, 1587, 1596, 1600, 1616, 1650 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Juray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Juray Spelling Variations

Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Juray has been spelled Durie, Durray, Doray, Dorie, Durrie and others.

Early Notables of the Juray family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was Robert Durie (1555-1616), a Scottish Presbyterian minister; and his son, John Dury (1596-1680), a Scottish Calvinist minister and intellectual. He made efforts to re-unite the Calvinist and Lutheran wings of Protestantism.Andrew Durie (d. 1558), was Bishop of Galloway and Abbot of Melrose, the son of John Durie of Durie in Fife, and brother to George Durie. George Durie (1496-1561), was Abbot of Dunfermline and Archdeacon of St. Andrews. "From 1527 till 1530 he acted as judge and executor of the monastery of Arbroath. During...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Juray Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Juray family to Ireland

Some of the Juray family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Juray family

In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Juray: John Durie who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1620; Isabel Durie settled in New Jersey in 1686; Jacob Durie settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1738..



  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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