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

Mai, 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 Mai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mai in America

Mai is the 2075th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mai surname appeared 17,445 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 Mai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mai 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 Mai

The surname MAI is believed to have originated in Italy, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Latin word "majus," which means "greater" or "larger." This suggests that the name was originally used as a descriptive term for someone who was taller or more prominent in some way.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MAI can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Cavensis, a collection of medieval documents from the Abbey of Cava in southern Italy. This manuscript, dating back to the late 12th century, mentions a certain "Petrus Mai" who was a landowner in the region.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various Italian city records, including those of Florence and Siena. For example, a merchant named "Giovanni Mai" is mentioned in the Florentine archives of 1268.

As the name spread throughout Italy, it also took on different spellings and variations, such as "Maio," "Maius," and "Majo." These variations were likely influenced by local dialects and pronunciation patterns.

One notable individual with the surname MAI was Girolamo Mai, an Italian scholar and cardinal who lived from 1782 to 1838. He is best known for his work in discovering and publishing lost works of classical literature, including fragments of Cicero's "De Re Publica" and portions of Plautus' comedies.

Another prominent figure was Angelo Mai, an Italian philologist and cardinal who lived from 1782 to 1854. He was a prolific scholar and editor, renowned for his work on uncovering and publishing ancient manuscripts, including previously unknown works by Cicero, Fronto, and others.

In the 19th century, the surname MAI also appeared in other parts of Europe, such as France and Germany. For example, a French artist named Charles Mai (1796-1866) gained recognition for his landscape paintings and etchings.

Moving into the 20th century, one notable individual with the surname MAI was Nguyen Xuan Mai, a Vietnamese military officer and politician who lived from 1892 to 1977. He played a significant role in the Vietnamese independence movement against French colonial rule.

Another notable figure was Walter Mai, a German aviator and engineer who lived from 1920 to 1945. He was instrumental in the development of the Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet, one of the earliest rocket-powered fighter aircraft used during World War II.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mai

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

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

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

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