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

Tai, 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 Tai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tai in America

Tai is the 7553rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tai surname appeared 4,401 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tai 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 Tai

The surname Tai is believed to have originated from the Chinese language, with its roots dating back to ancient China. This surname is commonly found in regions such as Guangdong, Fujian, and Hong Kong, where it has a long and rich history.

Tai is derived from the Chinese character "泰," which carries meanings such as "peace," "prosperity," and "greatness." It was often used as a symbolic name, reflecting aspirations for a prosperous and harmonious life. The earliest written records of the Tai surname can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), where it appeared in various historical documents and genealogical records.

One notable historical figure with the surname Tai was Tai Zhuang (1368-1462), a renowned Confucian scholar and philosopher during the Ming Dynasty. His works on ethics and moral philosophy had a significant impact on Chinese intellectual thought.

Another prominent individual was Tai Chen (1597-1681), a skilled military strategist and general who played a crucial role in the Ming-Qing transition period. His military prowess and leadership were instrumental in several significant battles.

In the realm of literature, Tai Jingzhi (1629-1705) was a celebrated poet and calligrapher during the Qing Dynasty. His poetic works were widely admired and have been preserved in various anthologies.

The surname Tai also has connections to certain place names in China. For instance, the Tai Lake in Jiangsu Province was once known as "Taihu" or "Great Lake," possibly reflecting an association with the Tai surname.

During the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), a notable figure named Tai Xuan (598-677) served as a high-ranking official and military commander. His achievements in governance and military strategy were documented in historical records from that era.

While the surname Tai has its roots in ancient China, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including Southeast Asia and beyond, carried by Chinese immigrants and their descendants.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tai

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

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

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

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