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

Chai, 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 Chai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Chai in America

Chai is the 9030th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Chai surname appeared 3,619 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Chai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Chai 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 Chai

The surname Chai originated in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the regions of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "chaitra," which means "bright" or "shining." The name's earliest roots can be traced back to the 10th century CE.

During the medieval period, the Chai surname was prominently found in various historical records and manuscripts, including the Ain-i-Akbari, a 16th-century administrative document commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This suggests that individuals bearing this surname held significant positions within the Mughal Empire.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Chai dates back to the 12th century, when a notable scholar and poet, Chaithanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534), popularized the Vaishnava branch of Hinduism through his teachings and literary works.

The Chai surname is also associated with several place names, such as Chaitanya Nagar, a town located in the Indian state of West Bengal, and Chaitanya Vihar, a residential area in Delhi. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the Chai surname who held influential roles in the founding or development of these areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Chai include:

1. Anupam Kher (born 1955), a renowned Indian actor and recipient of numerous awards, including the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan.
2. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur (1889-1964), an Indian political activist and stateswoman, who served as the first Health Minister of India after independence.
3. Nirad C. Chaudhuri (1897-1999), a distinguished Bengali writer and scholar, best known for his works on Indian history and culture, such as "The Autobiography of an Unknown Indian."
4. Pradeep Chauhan (born 1971), an Indian field hockey player and Olympic gold medalist, who represented India in multiple international tournaments.
5. Anita Desai (born 1937), an acclaimed Indian novelist and Emeritus Professor of Writing at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, known for novels like "Clear Light of Day" and "In Custody."

While the surname Chai has its roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has also gained a global presence due to migration and cultural exchange. The name's rich history and diverse representations across various fields highlight its enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Chai

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

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

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

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