McRay Surname Meaning & Coat of Arms

Whether you spell it McRay or McRae, the story begins in the same place. In origin, the name means “son of grace”.

How the spelling arose

The two spellings differ in a small detail: McRay has “y” where McRae has “e”. Regional accents shaped spellings long before dictionaries fixed them. You may also find the name written Macrae and McCrae.

In the records

According to the 2010 US Census, the McRay surname had 1,022 bearers.

Arms associated with the name

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named McRay, so the heraldry linked to McRae is a starting point, not an automatic right.

For the full story, order the McRay surname pack.