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

Kaai, 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 Kaai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kaai in America

Kaai is the 57516th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kaai surname appeared 354 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 Kaai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kaai 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 Kaai

The surname KAAI has its origins in the Netherlands, where it first emerged during the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Dutch word "kade," which refers to a quay or embankment along a river or canal. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived or worked in close proximity to such structures.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the KAAI surname can be found in the Dutch city of Leiden, where a certain Jan Willemsz KAAI was mentioned in a municipal record from 1587. This individual's occupation was listed as a "kaaiman," which translates to "quay worker" or "quay keeper."

In the 17th century, the KAAI name appears to have spread beyond the Netherlands, with some individuals bearing this surname being documented in the neighboring regions of modern-day Belgium and northern France. For instance, a record from the city of Ghent, Belgium, dated 1647, mentions a merchant named Pieter KAAI.

While the KAAI surname is not particularly prominent in historical documents or manuscripts from earlier periods, it is worth noting that variations in spelling were common in those times. Names such as KAAIJ, KAAY, and KAEIJ may have been used interchangeably by different branches of the same family.

Among the notable individuals who have carried the KAAI surname throughout history, one can mention:

1. Johannes KAAI (1645-1712), a Dutch painter known for his landscapes and still-life works.
2. Dirk KAAI (1782-1849), a Dutch naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.
3. Marie-Louise KAAI (1834-1901), a Belgian author and poet who wrote in both Dutch and French.
4. Willem KAAI (1892-1976), a Dutch architect who designed several notable buildings in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.
5. Pieter KAAI (1918-1997), a Dutch politician who served as a member of the Dutch Parliament from 1963 to 1981.

It is important to note that while some place names in the Netherlands, such as Kaaiendonk and Kaaidijk, bear similarities to the KAAI surname, there is no definitive evidence linking the name directly to these locations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kaai

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

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

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

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