Garay Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Garay last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Garay last name
Meaning of the Garay last name: high place. Garay is a Basque surname from garai, 'high', for a family from an upper farmhouse or a place named Garai. The last name spread from Biscay to the rest of Spain and to Argentina. A curious detail: Juan de Garay, a Basque explorer, founded Buenos Aires for the second time in 1580.
Arms associated with the Garay name
Spanish heraldry often adds a bordure around the shield, and coats of arms associated with the Garay name share that style.
Get your full Garay family history
This is only a glimpse of the Garay story. The full Garay history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Garay coat of arms. Get the full Garay report.
Garay name FAQ
What does the Garay name mean?
High place. Common variants include Garai.
Where does the Garay surname come from?
It originates in Spain, and is also found in Mexico, the United States and Colombia.
Is there a Garay coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Garay coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Roberto Faure, María Asunción Ribes & Antonio García, Diccionario de apellidos españoles (Espasa, 2001); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).