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

Kaye, 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 Kaye surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Kaye in America

Kaye is the 4113th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Kaye surname appeared 8,627 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 Kaye.

We can also compare 2010 data for Kaye 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 Kaye

The surname Kaye originated in the region of Normandy in France. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "caye," which referred to a small quay or landing place along a river or coast. This suggests that the name may have been occupational in origin, likely referring to someone who worked at or lived near a quay.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Kaye can be traced back to the 11th century in Normandy. The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, contains several entries with variations of the name, such as "de la Caye" and "de Kaye."

As the Normans expanded their influence across Europe, the name Kaye spread to various regions, including England and Scotland. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John de Kaye, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name Kaye has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. Sir John Kaye (1783-1858) was a British military historian and author who wrote extensively on the British Empire in India. Sir Joseph Kaye (1815-1886) was an English lawyer and Conservative politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1871.

Another prominent figure was John William Kaye (1814-1876), a British historian and author best known for his works on the British Indian Empire. He served as a professor of history at the East India Company College and later became the secretary of the Political and Secret Department of the India Office.

In the realm of literature, Sir John Kaye-Lethbridge (1847-1930) was an English writer and journalist who published several novels and short stories under the pen name "Walter Herries Pollock."

The name Kaye has also been associated with various place names, such as Kaye's Cottage in Gloucestershire, England, and the village of Kaye in Newfoundland, Canada.

While the name Kaye originated in Normandy, it has since spread across various regions and cultures, with bearers of the name making significant contributions in fields such as military, politics, literature, and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Kaye

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

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

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

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