Surname Wrey - Meaning and Origin
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Wrey: What does the surname Wrey mean?
The surname Wrey is of English origin, and a variant of the popular surname ‘Wreyford’. It comes from the Old English given name Wreford, which means ‘forgiveness’. The name is popular in Devon and Cornwall, indicating a possible local origin.
The Wrey surname is a patronymic form, meaning it is derived from the father's given name or surname. Variations of the name include Wreyford, Wreyforde, Wreyfordt, Wreyforth, Wraiford, Wrayford, Wreyfurd, Wryford, and Wryfurd.
Wrey was originally used as an occupational name for someone who worked at a ford (a shallow part of a river that could be crossed more easily than deeper parts). Over time, it has come to be used as a surname, and is still quite popular in Devon and Cornwall.
The Wrey family have played an important part in the history of Devon and Cornwall. One notable member of the family was Sir John Wrey, an English knight who served in the Hundred Years' War. He was famously known as the “uncrowned king of Cornwall”, and his tomb can still be found in St. Andrew’s Church in Tavistock.
Today, the surname Wrey is still quite popular in Devon and Cornwall. It is also found in other parts of the world, indicating that members of the Wrey family have dispersed into other countries.
Order DNA origin analysisWrey: Where does the name Wrey come from?
The last name Wrey is most commonly found in the United Kingdom where it originated. The earliest recorded instance of the surname is from 1291 in Devon, England. According to surname databases, Wreys are widespread across Britain and Ireland, primarily in the south and western counties of England.
The earliest occurrences of the Wrey name appear to be in Devonshire and Cornwall; these counties are located in South West England where the largest concentration of the Wrey surname is still found today. In fact, the two counties together house more than 40 percent of those with the surname in Britain.
It is thought that the name Wrey comes from the Old English word “wigle” meaning “a plot of walled land,” which indicates that the Wreys were an ancient and noble family.
The Wreys are also well-represented in the United States, Australia, Canada, and Germany. Everywhere, Wreys remain an uncommon last name; it is estimated that there are less than 1,600 people worldwide with this surname, making it one of the rarest surnames in the world.
Variations of the surname Wrey
The surname Wrey is of Old English origin. It has various variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Most variations of Wrey are derived from the Old English 'rewe', which is a variation of the Occupational surname 'rewer' meaning 'maker of garment', or someone who worked as a clothes merchant. Variations of the surname Wrey include Wrie, Wraigh, Wray, Reef, Rowe, Raw, and Rew.
The spelling of the surname Wrey is distinct and recognizable in many cultures, but in some cases, it has been slightly altered. In Scotland, the surname Wrey is sometimes spelled as Wra, Wraw, Wro, and Wru. In Northern Ireland, the surname Wrey has been Anglicized to Wray or Rea. In France, the name has been spelled as Grew and Grewar, and in Germany, it has been altered to Prewer and Prewerin.
The surname Wrey can also be found in other countries, although it may be spelled differently depending on the language. Variant spellings of the name Wrey in Ireland include O’Roi, O’Raoi and O’Roughy, and in Wales, it is pronounced Rhy. In Spain, the surname Wrey is often spelled as Grewa.
The surnames Wrie, Wraigh, Wray, Reef, Rowe, Raw, and Rew are derived from the same Old English origin as the surname Wrey. Many of these surnames are still found today in family trees. Some of the surnames even carry the same spelling, such as Wrie, Wraigh, Wray and Raw, but they may be pronounced differently.
The surname Wrey is found in many countries and cultures throughout the world and has been used in different ways throughout different periods of time. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin are still being discovered today, making it possible to trace the family name back to its original roots.
Famous people with the name Wrey
- Lady Peggy Wrey: An English biographer, literary critic and diarist.
- Rupert Wrey: British Conservative Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Plymouth Sutton between 1983 and 1997.
- Baroness Juliet Wrey: British crossbench (Independent) member of the House of Lords since 2006.
- Major General Harold Wrey: British military officer who served in the Second Boer War and World War I.
- Helen Wreyford Wrey: British poet, novelist and biographer who was a member of the Royal Literary Society.
- Sir John Wrey: Was a British landowner and politician who was made a baronet in 1898.
- Murray Wrey: British actor who appeared in films such as The Young Vincent Price, Thesimilar Mad Man and Jane Eyre.
- Russel Wrey: British athlete and speed-skater who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics and won the Silver Medal.
- Baron Charles Wrey: British nobiliar and Doctor of Laws and Civil Law who served as the Member of Parliament for North Devon between 1886 and 1906.
- John William Wrey: British lawyer and politician who served as the Member of Parliament for Yarmouth between 1774 and 1790.