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

Lai, 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 Lai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lai in America

Lai is the 1873rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lai surname appeared 19,157 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Lai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lai 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 Lai

The surname LAI has its origins in China, where it first emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The name is derived from the Chinese word "lai," which means "to come" or "to arrive." It is believed that this surname was initially given to individuals who had traveled or immigrated from one region to another.

LAI is a widespread surname found across various regions of China, including Guangdong, Fujian, and Jiangxi provinces. In ancient times, the name was sometimes written with different characters or spellings, such as 赖 or 莱, but the pronunciation remained similar.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LAI surname can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). Historical records mention a scholar named Lai Shengxuan, who lived during the Northern Song period (960-1127 AD) and served as a high-ranking official in the imperial court.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), a notable figure with the LAI surname was Lai Xingzheng, a celebrated poet and calligrapher. Born in 1502 in Jiangxi Province, Lai Xingzheng's works were highly acclaimed and are still studied by scholars today.

Another prominent individual with the LAI surname was Lai Guanlin, a military strategist and general who lived during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD). Lai Guanlin played a crucial role in suppressing various uprisings and rebellions, earning him a reputation as a skilled commander.

In the realm of literature, Lai He (1896-1968) was a renowned Chinese writer and translator. He was instrumental in introducing Western literary works to Chinese audiences and is celebrated for his contributions to modern Chinese literature.

Lastly, Lai Fusheng (1901-1993) was a prominent Chinese historian and archaeologist. He made significant discoveries and contributions to the understanding of ancient Chinese history, particularly during the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

While the LAI surname is predominantly found in China, it has also spread to other parts of the world due to immigration and diaspora communities. However, its roots and historical significance remain deeply rooted in Chinese culture and ancestry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lai

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

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

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

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