Contents [hide]

Kay History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Kay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Kay

What does the name Kay mean?

The surname Kay is derived from the Breton and Old Welsh word "Cai," and the Cornish word "Key," both of which meant "wharf." This name became the Middle English given name Kay. Some instances of this surname are no doubt derived from the Old English "Coeg," which meant "key." 1

Early Origins of the Kay family

The surname Kay was first found in the Pipe Rolls for Northumbria where Britius filius Kay is listed there in 1199. Cecilia de Kay was in the Pipe Rolls for Gloucestershire in that same year. Another early record in the Pipe Rolls is of John del Cay in 1207 in London. John del Cai was Sheriff of London in 1201 and may be the same person as the aforementioned Pipe Roll entry. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list a Jordan Kay but the Yorkshire Poll Tax records of 1379 has the most entries of the time: Robertus Cay; Alanus Kay; Johanna Caa; and Willelmus Ka. 3

One reference claims a more romantic origin of the name: "the family of Kaye is of great antiquity in the county of York, being descended from Sir Kaye, an ancient Briton, and one of the Knights of the warlike Table of that noble Prince Arthur, flower of chivalry!!" 4

"The property [of Thornton in Craven in the West Riding of Yorkshire] belongs to various families, the principal owner being Sir John Lister Kaye, Bart., lord of the several manors." 5

"Kay or Kaye is the name of an ancient and distinguished family of Woodsome in the West Riding [of Yorkshire], one of whose members received a baronetcy from Charles I. The Kayes are now best represented in the Huddersfield district of the West Riding, whilst the Kays are more numerous in Lancashire. As far back as the 13th century we find this name, both as Kay and Kaye, in Lincolnshire, Hunts, and Cambridgeshire. 6

Early History of the Kay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kay research. Another 173 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1219, 1246, 1372, 1480, 1500, 1506, 1510, 1572, 1573 and 1640 are included under the topic Early Kay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kay Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Kay, Kaye and others.

Early Notables of the Kay family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

John Caius or Kay sometimes called the Elder (fl. 1480), an English poet and author of an English poem relating the history of the siege of Rhodes unsuccessfully undertaken by Mahommed II in 1480. His...
John Caius (1510-1573), "occasionally referred to as John Caius, junior, in order to distinguish him from another John Caius [q. v.] who was poet laureate to Edward IV, was an eminent scholar and phys...

Kay World Ranking

In the United States, the name Kay is the 1,508^th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 7 However, in Canada, the name Kay is ranked the 993^rd most popular surname with an estimated 5,458 people with that name. 8 And in Australia, the name Kay is the 398^th popular surname with an estimated 9,340 people with that name. 9 New Zealand ranks Kay as 285^th with 2,145 people. 10 The United Kingdom ranks Kay as 338^th with 18,263 people. 11

Migration of the Kay family to Ireland

Some of the Kay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kay migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kay Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

James Kay, who arrived in Virginia in 1677

Kay Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jonathan Kay, a Minister, who arrived in Maryland in 1711
Francis Kay, who settled in New England in 1751
Alexander Kay, who arrived in New York city in 1775
George Kay, who landed in New York in 1795 12

Kay Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles Kay, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1811 12
Alexander Kay, who landed in New York, NY in 1815 12
Francis Kay, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1815 12
Eliza Kay, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 12
James Kay, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kay migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Kay Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Brian Kay, who settled in Fort Cumberland Nova Scotia with his wife, Dorothy, his brother, Robert, and five children in 1774
Mr. Kay George U.E. who settled in Parr Town [Saint John], New Brunswick c. 1784 13
William Kay, who arrived in Montreal, Canada in 1793

Kay Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Robert Kay, aged 25, a merchant, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the ship "Aurora" from London, England
Mr. George Kay, aged 36 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John Jardine" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle In July 1847 14

Kay migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Kay Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Jonas Kay, English stonemason who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 15
Mr. William Kay, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 16
Mr. Robert Kay, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 14 years, transported aboard the "Competitor"18th March 1823, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 17
Robert Kay, a plasterer, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
Joseph Kay, a gunsmith, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Kay migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Kay Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Adam Kay, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Kingston" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 29th December 1858 18
Mrs. Jane Kay, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Kingston" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 29th December 1858 18
Mr. D. Kay, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858 19
Mrs. Kay, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 9th February 1858 19
Miss Agnes Kay, Scottish settler from Stirling travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Strathfieldsaye" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 29th April 1858 19
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Kay (post 1700) +

Alan Cooke Kay (1932-2024), American jurist, Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii (2000-2024)
Allen Steven Kay (1945-2022), American advertising executive and businessman, best known for creating the television advertisement for Xerox that aired during the 1976 Super Bowl, featuring a monk called Dominic
Terry Kay (1938-2020), American author, best known for his book, To Dance with the White Dog, which was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie
Beatrice Kay (1906-1986), American actress/singer
Hershy Kay (1919-1981), American composer
James H. Kay, American Republican politician, Mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts, 1913-23 20
J. Kay, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Camden County, 1852 20
Isaac Kay, American politician, Member of New Jersey State House of Assembly from Gloucester County, 1780 20
Herma Hill Kay, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from California, 1972 20
Frank J. Kay, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from Michigan 1st District, 1952 20
... (Another 30 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Kay family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Samuel Kay (b. 1923), Scottish Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Glasgow, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21
Mr. Norman Kay (b. 1915), English Engine Room Artificer 3rd Class serving for the Royal Navy from Gateshead, County Durham, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 21

RMS Lusitania

Master Robert Belsher Kay, American 2nd Class passenger from Brooklyn, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking by escaping in a collapsible 22
Mrs. Marguerita Kay, English 2nd Class passenger residing in Brooklyn, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 22

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 36)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/