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

Ky, 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 Ky surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ky in America

Ky is the 24137th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ky surname appeared 1,042 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 Ky.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ky 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 Ky

The surname Ky has its origins in the Indo-Iranian languages, with the earliest known references dating back to the 7th century AD. It is believed to have originated from the Persian word "kai" or "kay," which means "king" or "leader." This surname was likely adopted by individuals who held positions of authority or were associated with royalty in ancient Persia.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ky can be found in the Shahnameh, an epic Persian poem written by the celebrated poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th century. The poem mentions several characters with the surname Ky, suggesting its widespread use during that era.

In the 13th century, the Ky surname gained prominence in Central Asia, particularly in regions that are now part of modern-day Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Historical records from this period indicate that several notable figures bore this surname, including Ky Qubad, a prominent military commander who served under the Khwarazmian Empire.

As the Silk Road facilitated cultural and linguistic exchanges between the East and West, the Ky surname gradually spread to other parts of the world. In the 14th century, the name appeared in certain regions of the Ottoman Empire, where it was adopted by individuals of diverse ethnic backgrounds, including Turks, Greeks, and Armenians.

One of the most famous bearers of the Ky surname was Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, the Ottoman Sultan who conquered Constantinople in 1453. Born in 1432, Mehmed II was a renowned military leader and strategist who played a pivotal role in the expansion of the Ottoman Empire.

Another notable figure with the Ky surname was Iskandar Ky, a 16th-century Persian poet and philosopher who was highly regarded for his contributions to literature and Islamic mysticism. Born in 1529 in the city of Shiraz, Iskandar Ky's works have been widely studied and celebrated throughout the Middle East.

In the 17th century, the Ky surname began to appear in various parts of Europe, likely due to the migration of individuals from Central Asia and the Middle East. One such individual was Mirza Muhammad Ky, a Persian diplomat and scholar who lived between 1628 and 1694. Mirza Muhammad Ky was known for his diplomatic efforts in fostering cultural and political ties between Persia and European nations.

As trade and travel increased in the following centuries, the Ky surname continued to spread globally, with individuals bearing this name settling in various parts of the world, including Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ky

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!