Wray Family History, Genealogy & Ancestry

The Wray Family

1,709 Wray records from public death, burial and census records and the old county histories, in all 12 Midwestern states we cover. Every name is a real person in the public record, and we follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

1,709Records in our database

1810Earliest birth

2Documented families

10Biographies

See the Wray family trees →80 Wray families pieced together from public birth and death records, county histories and old newspapers

At a glance

1,709 Wray records in our database

From public death, burial and census records across 12 Midwestern states. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how). Tap a state or a decade to narrow the list of ancestors below.

Where

fewer more

When they were born

Most records: Missouri (476 of 1,709)
Most common birth decade: the 1910s
Earliest birth in the database: Ernest Wray, born 1871, Iowa
Earliest in the county histories: Carson Buford Wray, born 1810

Most common first names

James52 William48 John46 Robert44 Mary33 Charles26 George25 Joseph21 Helen19 Ruth19 Donald18 Harold18

Documented families

Wray families we have traced

Written from county histories and public records, every fact cited. We follow set rules to leave living people out (how).

Family histories, generation by generation (2)

The Wray family of Johnson CountyIowaStarts: Richard Wray and Catherine (Buford) WrayMost recent: David W. Wray (b. 1848)The Wray family of Nodaway CountyMissouriStarts: Thomas Wray and Rachel (Neal) WrayMost recent: Curtis Wray (b. 1868)

The earliest Wrays in the county histories

Carson Buford WrayBorn 1810, Hamilton countyJohnson County, Iowa Eli WrayBorn 1812, Monroe CountyNodaway County, Missouri David WrayBorn 1815, Hamilton countyJohnson County, Iowa John WrayBorn 1830Butler County, Ohio William W. WrayBorn 1836, Gallia CountyChild of John Wray and Sarah F. (Wiseman) WrayNodaway County, Missouri William WrayBorn 1839, Franklin CountyChild of Edmund Wray and Betsy (Kensey) WrayClark County, Ohio

Family trees from the public record

80 Wray families: parents, brothers and sistersFrom state birth and death indexes, county histories and old newspapers, most recent deaths first

In old newspapers

5 Wray death notices, 1837 to 1925Obituaries and funeral notices from Midwest papers scanned by the Library of Congress, with the original pages

In the county history family index

14 Wray people in 5 countiesBirth years, birthplaces, parents and spouses, from the old county histories

Biographies from the county histories (10)

Carson Buford WrayBorn 1810 · Johnson County, Iowa David WrayBorn 1815 · Johnson County, Iowa Howard WrayBorn 1834 · Nodaway County, Missouri Stephen Kellar WrayBorn 1834 · Nodaway County, Missouri William W. WrayBorn 1836 · Nodaway County, Missouri I. N. WrayBorn 1839 · Nodaway County, Missouri William WrayBorn 1839 · Clark County, Ohio Henry T. WrayBorn 1844 · Nodaway County, Missouri James Arthur WrayBorn 1856 · Nodaway County, Missouri Curtis WrayBorn 1868 · Nodaway County, Missouri

Done-for-you research

Trace your documented Wray family

Found your Wray? We trace your family back as far as the records go and write it up as a family history book, every source cited. No DNA test and no sales call: we take a free first look, then email you a plan and a flat price before you spend a dollar.

Common questions

Wray genealogy: FAQ

Where were Wray ancestors recorded?

Our database holds 1,709 Wray records from all 12 Midwestern states. The most are in Missouri (476), then Ohio (270) and Indiana (266).

How far back does the Wray family tree go?

The earliest Wray birth in our database is 1871: Ernest Wray, Iowa. The old county histories name Carson Buford Wray, born 1810. We have pieced together 80 Wray family trees from public birth and death records.

Are living Wray family members listed here?

Not knowingly. We follow set rules to leave living people out of our public pages. If you find a living relative listed here, email us and we will take the record down.

Is this my Wray family?

Maybe. Many people share a name, so treat any match as a possible match until the dates and places line up with what you know about your family. Every person here links to their own page with the details, and we can trace your line for you.