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Main Sections:
Introduction
Westray Grays
Papa Westray Grays
Eday Grays:
    John Gray
    Margaret Gray
Barbara Allan:
    Westray Allans

Site Maps:
Introduction
Westray Grays
Papa Westray Grays
Eday Grays
    John Gray
    Margaret Gray
Westray Allans

Related Websites:
Fea
Pharay

Other website:
The Glasgow Orkney and Shetland Benevolent Society

Grays in the North Isles of Orkney

The surname Gray in the North Isles of Orkney has been found mostly in Westray, Papa Westray and Eday and it is likely that these are different branches of the same family. No connection is known with the Grays in South Isles, notably in South Ronaldsay.

This web site is intended to cover the genealogy of the Gray family in the North Isles, taking these three islands as separate sections.

For people who died prior the the first census in 1841 or the 1851 census, which first listed people by their relationship to the head of the household, it can be quite difficult to link up the families. for the parish of Westray and Papay Westray, there is a record of baptisms going back to 1733 with separate records being kept for the East and North Parishes from 1808 to 1828. Recording of marriages did not begin until 1805. For the parish of Eday, records of baptism go back to 1789. Marriages were recorded from 1821.

The Grays in Eday and Papa Westray are descendants of William Gray and Barbara Allan. This website is nominally in respect of the Grays in the North Isles, but also explores to some extent the ancestors of Barbara Allan and their descendants (the Westray Allans):



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