2000
#20,072
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,236
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.46
Rare Last name
Quay
An English surname referring to a bank or pier raised for loading and unloading ships.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,386 Americans carry the last name Quay. That puts it at #21,932 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.40 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 247,298 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Quay 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
1.4K
1 in 247,298
Census rank
#21,932
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,209 bearers of the surname Quay in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.40 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 21932nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Quay, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (6.5%) and Hispanic (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Quay
The surname Quay is believed to have originated in France, possibly during the 12th or 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old French word "quai," which means "wharf" or "dock." This suggests that the name may have initially been associated with individuals who lived or worked near a quay or harbor area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Quay can be found in the "Pipe Rolls" of Northumberland, England, dating back to the 13th century. These rolls were essentially tax records, and the name Quay appears as "de Kaye," indicating a potential connection to a specific location or place name.
Throughout the centuries, the surname Quay has had various spellings, including Kaye, Kay, and Keye. These variations likely emerged due to regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions.
In the late 13th century, a notable figure named John de Kaye was documented as holding land in Yorkshire, England. This historical record provides evidence of the surname's presence during that time period.
During the 16th century, the name Quay appeared in several parish records and legal documents across England. For example, Thomas Quay was mentioned in the "Feet of Fines" for Lincolnshire in 1532, indicating a transaction involving the transfer of property or land.
One prominent individual with the surname Quay was Sir William Quay (1509-1587), an English merchant and Member of Parliament. He played a significant role in the expansion of English trade and commerce during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, the surname Quay was also found in Scotland. Records show that Robert Quay, born around 1620, was a landowner and member of the Scottish gentry in Aberdeenshire.
Another notable figure was Thomas Quay (1657-1728), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Lincolnshire. He is remembered for his published works on theology and religious subjects.
During the 18th century, the surname Quay appeared in various records across different parts of Europe. For instance, Johann Quay (1721-1792) was a German painter and engraver renowned for his landscapes and architectural scenes.
The 19th century saw the continued presence of the Quay surname in various fields. One notable individual was Sir John Quay (1825-1897), a British architect and designer who was involved in the construction of several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Albert Hall.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Quay
Among Census respondents with the surname Quay, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (6.5%) and Hispanic (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Quay 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 Quay surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.4% · 1,020
- American Indian and Alaska Native6.5% · 79
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 45
- Two or more races2.6% · 31
- Black or African American1.4% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 17
Timeline
Historical Census data for Quay
Quay 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
#22,856
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,120
-116 bearers (-9.4%)
Per 100,000 0.38
Rank movement Down 2,784 places
2020
#21,932
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,209
+89 bearers (+7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.40
Rank movement Up 924 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,072 | 1,236 | 0.46 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #22,856 | 1,120 | 0.38 | -116 bearers (-9.4%) | Down 2,784 places |
| 2020 | #21,932 | 1,209 | 0.40 | +89 bearers (+7.9%) | Up 924 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 Quay 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 | #22,856 | #21,932 | 4.0% |
| Count | 1,120 | 1,209 | 7.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.38 | 0.40 | 6.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Quay bearers went from 1,120 to 1,209 (+7.9% change). The surname moved up 924 positions in the national ranking, going from #22,856 to #21,932.
FAQ
Quay surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Quay?
Name Census estimates that about 1,386 living Americans carry the surname Quay. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 247,298 residents.
How common is Quay?
Quay ranks #21,932 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.40 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 1,209 people with the surname Quay. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,386), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.4 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.40 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 Quay.
Has Quay become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Quay went from 1,120 recorded bearers to 1,209. That is an increase of 89 (+7.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #22,856 to #21,932.
What does the Census say about the background of Quay?
Among Census respondents with the surname Quay, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (6.5%) and Hispanic (3.7%). 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 Quay in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.4% (1,020 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Quay appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (6.5%), Hispanic (3.7%). 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 Quay (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 Quay mean?
An English surname referring to a bank or pier raised for loading and unloading ships. 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 Quay (0.40 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 have the surname Quay?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.