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

Thai, 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 Thai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Thai in America

Thai is the 3089th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Thai surname appeared 11,644 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Thai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Thai 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 Thai

The surname "THAI" is believed to have originated in Thailand, formerly known as Siam. It is likely derived from the Thai language and is thought to have first emerged around the 13th century during the Sukhothai Kingdom period.

The name "THAI" is thought to be related to the word "Thai" which means "free" or "freedom" in the Thai language. This could suggest that the name may have been given to individuals or families who were free from servitude or bondage during that time.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name "THAI" can be found in the Ayutthaya Kingdom chronicles, which date back to the 14th century. These chronicles mention a prominent Thai family with the surname "THAI" who held significant influence and power during that period.

In the 16th century, a notable figure named Phra Narai Thai (1633-1688) was the King of Ayutthaya from 1656 to 1688. He is considered one of the most influential Thai monarchs and played a crucial role in strengthening the kingdom's relationships with European powers.

Another historical figure with the surname "THAI" was Chao Phraya Chakri Thai (1772-1832), a Thai nobleman and military leader who was instrumental in the establishment of the Chakri Dynasty. He served as the regent during the reign of King Rama I and played a pivotal role in the consolidation of power in the early years of the dynasty.

During the late 19th century, a Thai nobleman named Chao Phraya Phanuphan Thai (1842-1916) held prominent positions in the government and played a significant role in the modernization and westernization of Thailand during the reigns of King Rama IV and King Rama V.

In more recent times, Puey Ungphakorn Thai (1916-1999) was a renowned Thai economist and statesman who served as the Governor of the Bank of Thailand and played a crucial role in shaping Thailand's economic policies in the latter half of the 20th century.

The surname "THAI" can also be found in various place names and geographical locations within Thailand, such as Thai Muang District in Phang Nga Province and Thai Samakkhi District in Chaiyaphum Province, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Thai

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!