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Clay Family History
Clay Genealogy & Family TreeClay is an English name from Lincolnshire, England, where the family held a seat at Claye. It comes from the Old English word claeg which means "clay" and referred to someone who lived in an area where the soil was rich with this substance. In recent years, it is often used as a given name. The earliest known ancestor--Ralph de Clai--was recorded in 1172. The family motto is Per orbem which means "Through the world."
Other spellings include "Claye," "Cley," "Cleye," and "McClay." Notable people with the surname include American baseball player Ken Clay (New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Seattle Mariners), American actor Andrew Dice Clay (Pretty in Pink, Dice Rules, Blue Jasmine), and American World Heavyweight Champion boxer Cassius Clay Jr. (better known as Muhammad Ali). The first Clay to come to America was Anne Clay in Virginia in 1623.
Clay Birth Records
- Name Birth Date Death Date Location
- Claude Clay -- --, 1919 February 12, 2001 Kentucky
- Martha F. Clay -- --, 1840 April 16, 1925 Virginia
- Rachel Melissa Clay -- --, 1831 October 13, 1904 Maine
- John Clay -- --, 1718 December 0, 1761 Virginia
- Helen Clay -- --, 1924 October 24, 1993 Texas
Clay Death Records
- Name Birth Date Death Date Location
- Elizabeth Clay -- --, 1642 December 13, 1642 Wiltshire
- Elenore Clay -- --, 1894 May 7, 1991 West Virginia
- Alianore Kathleen Clay -- --, 1892 August 11, 1979
- Mary Lockett Clay -- --, 1742 September 9, 1823 Virginia
- Barbara Clay -- --, 1953 December 29, 1978 North Carolina
