Find out how popular the last name Belai is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Belai.

Belai, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Belai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Belai in America

Belai is the 138304th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Belai surname appeared 121 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Belai.

The history of the last name Belai

The surname BELAI is believed to have originated in Central Europe, specifically in the region that is now modern-day Slovakia. It is thought to have emerged sometime around the 13th century, during the period of the Kingdom of Hungary.

The name BELAI is derived from the Slavic word "bel," which means "white" or "fair." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with light-colored hair or a fair complexion.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name BELAI can be found in a medieval document from the city of Košice, which was part of the Kingdom of Hungary at the time. The document, dated to the year 1312, mentions a person named Petrus Belai.

In the 15th century, there are records of a family with the surname BELAI residing in the town of Trenčín, which was then part of the Kingdom of Hungary but is now located in present-day Slovakia.

A notable figure with the surname BELAI was Ján Belai, a Slovak poet and writer who lived from 1612 to 1677. He is considered one of the pioneers of Slovak literature and is known for his works written in the Slovak language during a time when Hungarian and Latin were more commonly used for literary purposes.

Another individual of historical significance was Karol Belai, a Slovak politician and lawyer who lived from 1841 to 1912. He played a role in the Slovak national revival movement and advocated for the rights of the Slovak people within the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

In the 19th century, the surname BELAI was also found in the Moravian region of what is now the Czech Republic. One notable bearer of the name was Antonín Belai, a Czech painter and illustrator who lived from 1849 to 1912.

The name BELAI has also been recorded in various forms and spellings throughout history, such as Belaj, Belaji, and Belaya. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the languages and dialects spoken in different regions where the name was present.

While the surname BELAI is not among the most common surnames in Central Europe today, it holds a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions to the cultural and political landscapes of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Belai

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Belai.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Belai was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Belai was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Belai, please contact us.

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