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

Ji, 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 Ji surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ji in America

Ji is the 8216th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ji surname appeared 4,039 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 Ji.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ji 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 Ji

The surname "JI" has its origins in China, where it emerged as a family name during the ancient Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC - 256 BC). It is derived from the Chinese word "ji," which means "auspicious" or "lucky." The name was initially adopted by families residing in the central and eastern regions of China.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "JI" can be found in the Classic of Poetry, a collection of ancient Chinese poems dating back to the 11th century BC. The name appears in a poem praising the virtues of a noble family bearing this surname.

During the Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD), the "JI" surname gained prominence in several regions of China, particularly in the provinces of Shandong and Henan. Historical records from this period mention several notable figures with the surname "JI," including Ji Xiaolan (646 AD - 718 AD), a renowned poet and calligrapher.

In the Song Dynasty (960 AD - 1279 AD), the "JI" surname was widely dispersed throughout China, with families bearing this name found in various provinces. One of the most famous individuals with this surname during this era was Ji Zhizhen (1031 AD - 1107 AD), a celebrated military strategist and author of the acclaimed military treatise, "New Book of Effective Tactics."

The Ming Dynasty (1368 AD - 1644 AD) saw the rise of several influential "JI" families, many of whom held positions of power and influence within the imperial court. Among these was Ji Xiaoxuan (1486 AD - 1547 AD), a prominent scholar and philosopher who served as a high-ranking official in the Ming government.

Over the centuries, the "JI" surname has been associated with various place names and locations across China. For instance, the city of Jixian in Hebei Province is believed to have been named after a prominent "JI" family that resided in the area during ancient times.

Other notable historical figures with the surname "JI" include Ji Gong (1130 AD - 1207 AD), a revered Buddhist monk known for his eccentric behavior and wisdom; Ji Xiaolan (1724 AD - 1805 AD), a celebrated poet and calligrapher during the Qing Dynasty; and Ji Xianlin (1911 AD - 2009 AD), a renowned scholar and linguist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Chinese texts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ji

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

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

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

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