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

Khai, 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 Khai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Khai in America

Khai is the 73464th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Khai surname appeared 264 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 Khai.

The history of the last name Khai

The surname KHAI traces its origins to the Middle East, specifically the region that is now modern-day Iran. It emerged during the 6th century CE, derived from the Persian word "khāy," which means "king" or "sovereign." This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals who held positions of authority or were members of the ruling class.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name KHAI can be found in the Shahnameh, an epic poem written by the celebrated Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. In this work, there are references to individuals bearing the name Khai, indicating its use and recognition during that era.

During the medieval period, the KHAI surname appeared in various historical documents and records across the Persian Empire. For example, in the 12th century, a prominent figure named Khai al-Din was mentioned in the writings of the renowned historian and geographer Al-Idrisi.

As the Persian Empire expanded and interacted with other cultures, the name KHAI gained recognition beyond its original region. In the 13th century, a notable figure named Khai Qubad (1210-1291) was a Persian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the fields of geometry and trigonometry.

In the 14th century, the KHAI surname was also found in the Ottoman Empire, where a prominent individual named Khai Bey (1346-1422) served as the Mamluk governor of Aleppo and played a crucial role in the region's political and military affairs.

Another notable figure bearing the KHAI surname was Khai Khusrau (1253-1325), a renowned Persian poet and philosopher who was revered for his literary works and philosophical treatises. His works influenced the cultural and intellectual landscape of the region during that period.

As trade and migration patterns evolved, the KHAI surname gradually spread to other parts of the world, though it remained most prevalent in regions with historical ties to the Persian and Ottoman Empires.

While this report provides an overview of the surname KHAI's origins and historical references, it is important to note that surnames evolve and take on different forms and meanings across different cultures and regions over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Khai

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

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 Khai 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.

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

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

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