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

Wai, 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 Wai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wai in America

Wai is the 21320th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wai surname appeared 1,229 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wai 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 Wai

The surname "Wai" has its origins in China, where it is believed to have first emerged during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). The name is derived from the Chinese word "wei," which means "small" or "tiny." It is thought that the name was initially given to individuals who were of smaller stature or who came from a humble background.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Wai" can be found in the "Xin Tang Shu" (New Book of Tang), a historical text compiled in the 11th century. This document mentions several individuals with the surname, including Wai Zhengxian, a renowned scholar and official who lived during the Tang Dynasty.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the surname "Wai" gained further prominence, particularly in the southern regions of China. In the "Song Huiyao" (Institutional Histories of the Song Dynasty), there are references to several individuals with the surname, such as Wai Zhongxian, a celebrated poet and calligrapher who lived in the 11th century.

As the centuries passed, the surname "Wai" spread to other parts of China, and its spelling and pronunciation evolved slightly in different regions. For instance, in the Guangdong province, the surname is often written as "Wai" or "Wai," while in the Fujian province, it is commonly spelled as "Wei."

One notable individual with the surname "Wai" was Wai Xiuwen (1610-1677), a renowned scholar and educator during the Qing Dynasty. He was known for his contributions to the field of classical Chinese literature and for establishing several schools in his hometown.

Another prominent figure was Wai Yingfen (1744-1818), a celebrated painter and calligrapher from the Qing Dynasty. His works are highly regarded and can be found in several museums and private collections around the world.

In more recent history, Wai Jingyi (1905-1983) was a prominent Chinese economist and educator who played a significant role in the development of modern economic theories in China.

It is important to note that while the surname "Wai" has a rich history in China, it has also been adopted by individuals in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant Chinese diaspora populations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wai

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

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

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

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