2000
#3,864
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,440
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.13
Uncommon Last name
Thai
A surname referring to a person from Thailand or of Thai descent.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,792 Americans carry the last name Thai. That puts it at #2,726 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 23,172 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Thai 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 Thai with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
15K
1 in 23,172
Census rank
#2,726
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,899 bearers of the surname Thai in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2726th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Thai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and White (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Thai
Among Census respondents with the surname Thai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and White (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Thai 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 Thai surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander95.1% · 12,263
- Two or more races2.1% · 277
- White1.8% · 233
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 94
- Black or African American0.2% · 28
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Thai
Thai 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
#3,089
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,644
+3,204 bearers (+38.0%)
Per 100,000 3.95
Rank movement Up 775 places
2020
#2,726
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,899
+1,255 bearers (+10.8%)
Per 100,000 4.32
Rank movement Up 363 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,864 | 8,440 | 3.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,089 | 11,644 | 3.95 | +3,204 bearers (+38.0%) | Up 775 places |
| 2020 | #2,726 | 12,899 | 4.32 | +1,255 bearers (+10.8%) | Up 363 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 Thai 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 | #3,089 | #2,726 | 11.8% |
| Count | 11,644 | 12,899 | 10.8% |
| Per 100K | 3.95 | 4.32 | 9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Thai bearers went from 11,644 to 12,899 (+10.8% change). The surname moved up 363 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,089 to #2,726.
FAQ
Thai surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Thai?
Name Census estimates that about 14,792 living Americans carry the surname Thai. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 23,172 residents.
How common is Thai?
Thai ranks #2,726 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,899 people with the surname Thai. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,792), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Thai.
Has Thai become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Thai went from 11,644 recorded bearers to 12,899. That is an increase of 1,255 (+10.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,089 to #2,726.
What does the Census say about the background of Thai?
Among Census respondents with the surname Thai, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 95.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.1%) and White (1.8%). 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 Thai in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.1% (12,263 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Thai appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (95.1%), Two or More Races (2.1%), White (1.8%). 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 Thai (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 Thai mean?
A surname referring to a person from Thailand or of Thai descent. 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 Thai (4.32 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 share the surname Thai?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.