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

Cai, 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 Cai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cai in America

Cai is the 4191st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cai surname appeared 8,457 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Cai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cai to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cai

The surname CAI originated in China, with the earliest records dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word "cai," which means wealth or fortune. The name was initially associated with people who were prosperous or had achieved financial success.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the CAI surname gained prominence and was widely adopted by families across various regions of China. Historical records from this period, such as the Song Huiyao (a collection of government documents), mention individuals bearing the surname CAI.

One notable figure bearing this surname was Cai Xiang (1012-1067 AD), a prominent scholar and statesman during the Song Dynasty. He served as a high-ranking official and was known for his contributions to Neo-Confucian philosophy.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the surname CAI continued to be prevalent, particularly in the eastern provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu. The "Cai" place name can be found in various locations within these regions, suggesting that the surname may have originated or been concentrated in these areas.

Another significant figure with the CAI surname was Cai Lun (63-121 AD), a renowned inventor and official during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He is credited with the invention of paper, a significant contribution that had a profound impact on the spread of knowledge and communication in ancient China.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the CAI surname was widely dispersed throughout China, with notable individuals such as Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940), a prominent educator and politician who played a crucial role in modernizing China's education system.

Other notable individuals with the CAI surname include Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940), an influential educator and politician during the late Qing and early Republican era, and Cai Qing (1858-1935), a renowned painter and calligrapher of the late Qing Dynasty.

It is important to note that historical records and documentation may have variations in the spelling or romanization of the surname CAI due to the complexities of transliterating Chinese characters into different writing systems over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cai

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

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 Cai 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cai has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Cai was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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