2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Makai
A surname of Hawaiian origin meaning "towards the ocean" or "near the sea".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Makai. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Makai surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Makai in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Makai, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.8%) and Black (9.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Makai
The surname MAKAI originated in Hungary and has its roots in the Hungarian language. It is believed to have derived from the Hungarian word "makai," which means "belonging to or from Maka." Maka was a medieval village located in the central region of Hungary.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname MAKAI can be traced back to the 15th century. In 1423, a document from the town of Szeged mentioned a certain Péter Makai, who was likely a resident or landowner from the village of Maka. Another early reference was found in the 1456 census records of the town of Kecskemét, which listed a family named Makai among its residents.
In the 16th century, the surname MAKAI appeared in several historical documents and records. The 1522 tax records of Pest County listed several individuals with the surname Makai, suggesting that the name had already spread beyond its original village. Additionally, a 1578 land deed from the town of Kalocsa mentioned a János Makai as a landowner.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname MAKAI was Gáspár Makai (c. 1570-1631), a Hungarian poet and teacher who authored several religious works and poetry collections. Another notable figure was Gergely Makai (1634-1703), a Calvinist minister and church historian who wrote extensively about the history of the Protestant Reformation in Hungary.
In the 18th century, the surname MAKAI continued to be found in various parts of Hungary. István Makai (1718-1786) was a prominent lawyer and judge who served in the High Court of Pozsony (now Bratislava). Judit Makai (1751-1823) was a renowned herbalist and folk healer from the village of Tiszabecs, whose remedies and treatments were widely sought after in the region.
The 19th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals with the surname MAKAI. Sándor Makai (1825-1897) was a Hungarian politician and journalist who served as a member of the National Assembly and advocated for press freedom. Emília Makai (1855-1923) was a celebrated opera singer who performed in major opera houses across Europe, including the Vienna State Opera and the Hungarian State Opera House.
While the surname MAKAI has its roots in the Hungarian village of Maka, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through emigration. However, the historical records and notable individuals mentioned above provide a glimpse into the rich history and heritage associated with this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Makai
Among Census respondents with the surname Makai, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.8%) and Black (9.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Makai bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Makai surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White64.0% · 71
- Two or more races10.8% · 12
- Black or African American9.9% · 11
- Asian and Pacific Islander8.1% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Makai
Makai appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+4 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,963 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.7%) | Up 3,963 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Makai surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #152,628 | #148,665 | 2.6% |
| Count | 107 | 111 | 3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Makai bearers went from 107 to 111 (+3.7% change). The surname moved up 3,963 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #148,665.
FAQ
Makai surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Makai?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Makai. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Makai?
Makai ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Makai. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Makai.
Has Makai become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Makai went from 107 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 4 (+3.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Makai?
Among Census respondents with the surname Makai, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (10.8%) and Black (9.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Makai in the 2020 Census, accounting for 64.0% (71 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Makai appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (64.0%), Two or More Races (10.8%), Black (9.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Makai (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Makai mean?
A surname of Hawaiian origin meaning "towards the ocean" or "near the sea". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Makai (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Makai?
You can see how many people have the last name Makai on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.