2000
#18,412
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,385
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.51
Rare Last name
Ngai
A Chinese surname meaning "eye, vision, or appearance."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,073 Americans carry the last name Ngai. That puts it at #15,568 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 165,342 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ngai 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Ngai with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 165,342
Census rank
#15,568
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,808 bearers of the surname Ngai in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15568th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ngai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and White (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ngai
The surname NGAI originates from China, where it has been in use for centuries. It is derived from the Cantonese word "ngai," which means "to be bright" or "to be intelligent." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who were considered particularly intelligent or enlightened.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname NGAI can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), where it appeared in historical records and official documents. Some of the earliest known bearers of this name include Ngai Zhongshan, a scholar and poet who lived during the 8th century, and Ngai Yongxiu, a celebrated calligrapher from the 9th century.
During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the NGAI surname became more widespread, particularly in the southern regions of China. One notable figure from this period was Ngai Shunyuan, a renowned painter and art critic who lived in the 11th century.
As the centuries passed, the NGAI surname continued to spread across China, with various regional variations in its pronunciation and spelling. In some areas, it was written as "Ngai," while in others, it was written as "Nai" or "Nge."
One of the most famous historical figures with the NGAI surname was Ngai Guoquan (1501-1581), a renowned military strategist and general who served under the Ming Dynasty. His exploits in defending China against various invaders and rebellions earned him a reputation as one of the greatest military minds of his time.
Another notable figure was Ngai Xingjiang (1619-1683), a scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the study of Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism. His writings on ethics and morality were widely influential during the Qing Dynasty.
In more recent history, the NGAI surname has been associated with several prominent individuals, such as Ngai Wengung (1886-1965), a celebrated artist and calligrapher known for his innovative techniques and unique style. Another notable figure was Ngai Zhongren (1906-1998), a renowned architect who played a significant role in the development of modern Chinese architecture.
Throughout its long history, the NGAI surname has been carried by scholars, artists, military leaders, and individuals from various walks of life, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical tapestry of China.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ngai
Among Census respondents with the surname Ngai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and White (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Ngai 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 Ngai surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander92.6% · 1,674
- Two or more races3.5% · 63
- White2.2% · 40
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 24
- Black or African American0.4% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ngai
Ngai appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#17,392
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,623
+238 bearers (+17.2%)
Per 100,000 0.55
Rank movement Up 1,020 places
2020
#15,568
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,808
+185 bearers (+11.4%)
Per 100,000 0.60
Rank movement Up 1,824 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,412 | 1,385 | 0.51 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #17,392 | 1,623 | 0.55 | +238 bearers (+17.2%) | Up 1,020 places |
| 2020 | #15,568 | 1,808 | 0.60 | +185 bearers (+11.4%) | Up 1,824 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 Ngai 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 | #17,392 | #15,568 | 10.5% |
| Count | 1,623 | 1,808 | 11.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.55 | 0.60 | 10.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ngai bearers went from 1,623 to 1,808 (+11.4% change). The surname moved up 1,824 positions in the national ranking, going from #17,392 to #15,568.
FAQ
Ngai surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ngai?
Name Census estimates that about 2,073 living Americans carry the surname Ngai. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 165,342 residents.
How common is Ngai?
Ngai ranks #15,568 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.60 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,808 people with the surname Ngai. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,073), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.6 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.60 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Ngai.
Has Ngai become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ngai went from 1,623 recorded bearers to 1,808. That is an increase of 185 (+11.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #17,392 to #15,568.
What does the Census say about the background of Ngai?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ngai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and White (2.2%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ngai in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (1,674 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ngai appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (92.6%), Two or More Races (3.5%), White (2.2%). 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 Ngai (2000, 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 Ngai mean?
A Chinese surname meaning "eye, vision, or appearance." 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 Ngai (0.60 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 Ngai?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Ngai at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.