Explore the Family Name Gui
The meaning of Gui
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 桂: (i) from Gui (桂), the name of an ancient state (located in Hunan province). (ii) from the first element of the personal name Gui Yi (桂奕), the first son of Ji Gui whose brother Ji Zhen was killed by Qin Shi Huang (259–210 BC), the first emperor of the Qin dynasty (221–206 BC). To protect his sons, Ji Gui ordered them to change their original surnames. 2. Mandarin form of the surname 歸: from Gui (歸), the name of a state (located in Anhui province) annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). 3. variant Romanization of the surname 魏, possibly based on its Teochew, Hokkien or Taiwanese pronunciation. See Wei 1.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Gui in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Gui has seen significant growth from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Gui ranked 56,687th in terms of most common surnames, but by 2010, it had risen to 44,808th, marking a change of approximately 20.96 percent. The count of individuals with this surname also grew from 337 in 2000 to 479 in 2010, an increase of 42.14 percent. In proportion per 100,000 people, the prevalence of the name Gui increased by 33.33 percent over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #56,687 | #44,808 | 20.96% |
| Count | 337 | 479 | 42.14% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.12 | 0.16 | 33.33% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Gui
Regarding ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals with the surname Gui identify as Asian or Pacific Islander. This demographic group accounted for 64.99 percent of all Gui's in 2000, and this figure rose to 70.35 percent by 2010, indicating a change of 8.25 percent. Notably, the percentage of Gui's identifying as white dropped significantly, from 24.63 percent in 2000 to 16.28 percent in 2010, a decrease of 33.90 percent. Meanwhile, the Gui surname saw a 100 percent increase within the Black community and a 28.22 percent increase among Hispanics. There was no record of this surname among those who identify as American Indian or Alaskan Native, or those who identify with two or more races.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 64.99% | 70.35% | 8.25% |
| White | 24.63% | 16.28% | -33.9% |
| Black | 3.86% | 7.72% | 100% |
| Hispanic | 3.26% | 4.18% | 28.22% |
| Two or More Races | 3.26% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |