Explore the Family Name Chai
The meaning of Chai
1. Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 柴, a word meaning ‘firewood’ in Chinese: from the personal name Chai (柴), the personal name of Gao Chai (高柴), a student of Confucius (551–479 BC). His grandson Ju (举) and Ju’s descendants inherited his personal name, 柴, as their surname. 2. Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surname 翟, see Zhai. 3. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 齊, see Qi 1. 4. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 蔡 (see Cai 1) and 宰 (see Tsai 2). 5. Korean: variant of Chae. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Soo, Jung, Kyung, Li, Liang, Sang, Han, Jin, Seung, Sung, Wai Ling, Won. Korean Hyoun, Min, Young Kun, Chang, Chul, Chung, Hee Sook, Iksoo, In Sook, Joo, Junghoon, Kum, Tan, Du, Tek, Thao, Tok, Xuan, Yaping.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Chai in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname "Chai" has notably increased in the United States between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Chai was ranked 11,132nd among the most popular surnames, but by 2010 it had risen to 9,030th — an upward change of 18.88%. The number of individuals with this surname also grew during this period from 2,615 to 3,619, indicating a significant increase of 38.39%. The proportion of people named Chai per 100,000 population also rose by 26.8%, from 0.97 to 1.23.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,132 | #9,030 | 18.88% |
| Count | 2,615 | 3,619 | 38.39% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.97 | 1.23 | 26.8% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Chai
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity of people with the surname "Chai". The majority identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, although this group saw a slight decrease from 85.16% in 2000 to 83.28% in 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as two or more races increased by 9.29%, from 6.35% to 6.94%. There was also an increase in the Hispanic group, which rose by 74.32% from 2.22% to 3.87%. Meanwhile, the White and Black groups both saw minor decreases, with the former falling from 5.12% to 4.86% and the latter rising slightly from 0.84% to 1.05%. Notably, there were no individuals who identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2010, marking a 100% decrease from the 0.31% recorded in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 85.16% | 83.28% | -2.21% |
| Two or More Races | 6.35% | 6.94% | 9.29% |
| White | 5.12% | 4.86% | -5.08% |
| Hispanic | 2.22% | 3.87% | 74.32% |
| Black | 0.84% | 1.05% | 25% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.31% | 0% | -100% |
Chai ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Chai is Chinese, which comprises 69.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Korean (9.6%) and British & Irish (3.1%). Additional ancestries include Indonesian, Thai, Khmer & Myanma, Eastern European, Chinese Dai, French & German, and Iranian, Caucasian & Mesopotamian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Chinese | 69.3% |
| Korean | 9.6% |
| British & Irish | 3.1% |
| Other | 18.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Chai
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Chai have recent ancestry locations in China and Taiwan.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Fujian, China | 45.40% |
| Guangdong, China | 45.40% |
| Jiangsu, China | 44.40% |
| Zhejiang, China | 43.50% |
| Shanghai, China | 43.50% |
What Chai haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Chai is C-M217, which is predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Haplogroup C-M217 is descended from haplogroup C-M217. Other common haplogroups include O-M307.1 and O-F8, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and East Asian & Indigenous American ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Shao, Tsui, Chong, Lou, Vuong, Xue, To, Jia, Yao, Yin.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Chai surname are: M, H, D4. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins C-M217
Your paternal lineage may be linked to Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan, the Mongolian conqueror that lived from 1162 to 1227 CE, was likely a member of haplogroup C-M217, and may be responsible for the spread of one of its branches. Half of a percent of all men on Earth, and 8% of men in the region reaching from northeastern China to Uzbekistan, may descend from Genghis Khan. His lineage is most common in Hazara, Mongolian, Uygur, Chinese Kazak, and Inner Mongolian Han populations.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to the Han
Members of haplogroup D are found in both northern and southern Han Chinese populations at low to moderate frequencies. The Han people, who all share the same language and similar cultural practices, are the largest ethnic group in the world, with about 1.2 billion people. Historical evidence shows that Han people are descendants of the ancient Huaxia tribes that come from northern China, and Han language and culture only expanded into southern China in the last 2,000 years. The spread of Han people and culture from northern to southern China was likely driven by warfare and famine in the north.
What do people with the surname Chai have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Chai" Surname 25.9%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Cheek Dimples
Small indentations that appear on the cheeks when a person smiles.
"Chai" Surname 27.3%
23andMe Users 37.6%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Chai" Surname 17.9%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Chai" Surname 8.0%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Chai?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Chai are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition