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

Dai, 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 Dai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dai in America

Dai is the 7091st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dai surname appeared 4,723 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Dai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dai 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 Dai

The surname DAI has its origins in China, with records dating back to the 7th century AD. It is believed to have derived from the Chinese word "dai," meaning "to carry" or "to bear." This name was likely given to those whose occupation involved carrying or transporting goods.

In ancient China, the DAI surname was particularly prevalent in the regions of Shandong, Henan, and Hebei provinces. One of the earliest recorded instances of this name can be found in the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) census records, where several families with the DAI surname were documented.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the DAI surname gained prominence, with several notable individuals bearing this name. One such individual was Dai Qing (1035-1093), a renowned poet and calligrapher who served as an official in the imperial court.

In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD), the DAI surname continued to be widely used. The "Yuan Shi" (History of the Yuan Dynasty) mentions a military commander named Dai Bao (1278-1347), who played a crucial role in suppressing rebellions against the Mongol rule.

As Chinese immigration increased in the later centuries, the DAI surname spread to other parts of the world. In the 19th century, a prominent figure named Dai Xiying (1823-1899) was a Chinese diplomat and scholar who served as the first Chinese ambassador to several European countries.

Another notable individual with the DAI surname was Dai Wangshu (1905-1950), a Chinese communist revolutionary who played a significant role in the Chinese Civil War and the establishment of the People's Republic of China.

The DAI surname has also been associated with various place names throughout China's history. For instance, the city of Daixian in Shanxi Province was named after the Dai family, who held significant influence in the region during the Tang Dynasty.

While the DAI surname has its roots in ancient China, it has since become an established name in other parts of the world, thanks to Chinese immigration and cultural exchange. However, its origins can be traced back to the Chinese character "dai" and its association with the occupation of carrying or transporting goods in ancient times.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dai

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

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

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

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