2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Abai
A surname of Basque origin meaning "father" or "ancestor."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Abai. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Abai surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Abai in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Abai, the largest self-reported group is Black at 74.4%. The next largest groups are White (16.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Abai
The surname ABAI is of Georgian origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Georgian word "abai," which means "father" or "ancestor." It is believed to have initially served as a patronymic, indicating the lineage or family line of the bearer.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname ABAI can be found in historical documents and manuscripts from the 14th and 15th centuries, during the reign of the Kingdom of Georgia. These records often referred to individuals from prominent noble families or members of the clergy.
One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Shota Rustaveli (c. 1172 - c. 1216), a celebrated Georgian poet and author of the epic poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin." His work is considered a masterpiece of medieval Georgian literature and has had a profound influence on the country's cultural heritage.
In the 16th century, the ABAI surname gained prominence among the noble families of the Principality of Samachablo, a region located in present-day eastern Georgia. During this period, several individuals with the surname ABAI held influential positions within the local administration and played significant roles in the political and cultural life of the region.
Another notable figure was David ABAI (1673 - 1729), a prominent Georgian calligrapher and manuscript illuminator. His exquisite calligraphic works and miniature illustrations adorned numerous religious texts and manuscripts, showcasing the skillful artistry of Georgian scribes during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
In the 19th century, the ABAI surname gained further recognition with the birth of Ilia Abai (1838 - 1898), a renowned Georgian writer, philosopher, and influential public figure. Ilia Abai played a pivotal role in the revival of Georgian national consciousness and the promotion of Georgian language and culture during the period of Russian imperial rule.
Throughout its history, the ABAI surname has been closely associated with the Georgian cultural and intellectual elite, with many bearers of the name making significant contributions to literature, art, and scholarship. While the surname may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its Georgian roots and connection to the concept of ancestry and lineage have remained intact.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Abai
Among Census respondents with the surname Abai, the largest self-reported group is Black at 74.4%. The next largest groups are White (16.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Abai bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Abai surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American74.4% · 87
- White16.2% · 19
- Asian and Pacific Islander4.3% · 5
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Abai
Abai appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+13 bearers (+12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,774 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.5%) | Up 11,774 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Abai surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #156,044 | #144,270 | 7.5% |
| Count | 104 | 117 | 12.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Abai bearers went from 104 to 117 (+12.5% change). The surname moved up 11,774 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #144,270.
FAQ
Abai surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Abai?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Abai. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Abai?
Abai ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Abai. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Abai.
Has Abai become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Abai went from 104 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 13 (+12.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Abai?
Among Census respondents with the surname Abai, the largest self-reported group is Black at 74.4%. The next largest groups are White (16.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Abai in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.4% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Abai appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (74.4%), White (16.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Abai (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Abai mean?
A surname of Basque origin meaning "father" or "ancestor." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Abai (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Abai?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Abai is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.