Explore the Family Name Kai
The meaning of Kai
1. Japanese: original meaning could be 貝 ‘shell’, but the name is written phonetically with two characters 甲斐 ‘tortoise shell’ and ‘beauty’. Though the surname is found mostly in the island of Kyūshū, some families could have connections with the ancient province of Kai (now Yamanashi prefecture) in the mountains of central Honshū, whose name is written with the two characters above. 2. Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surname 蓋, see Gai 1. 3. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 解, see Xie 2. 4. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 計, see Ji 8. 5. Altered form or a rare variant of North German and Danish (and perhaps also of Dutch) Kay. Some characteristic forenames: Japanese Ritsuko, Takashi, Akiko, Chitose, Hidetaka, Hisashi, Kaoru, Kumiko, Mamoru, Masakazu, Masaru, Masayuki.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Kai in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Kai has seen a significant rise between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked at 24,701, but by 2010, it had moved up to 21,830 — a change of 11.62 percent. The actual count of people with this surname also increased during this decade, going from 947 in 2000 to 1,191 in 2010, a 25.77 percent increase. Additionally, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 individuals rose by 14.29 percent during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #24,701 | #21,830 | 11.62% |
| Count | 947 | 1,191 | 25.77% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.35 | 0.4 | 14.29% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Kai
Turning to the ethnic identity associated with the surname Kai, the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some interesting shifts over the same decade. While the Asian/Pacific Islander group maintained the largest share, their percentage dropped slightly from 52.90 percent in 2000 to 47.27 percent in 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as two or more races saw a slight increase, moving from 9.29 percent to 9.74 percent. Those who identified as White decreased from 27.35 percent to 26.20 percent. The most dramatic changes were among those identifying as Black, which more than doubled from 4.44 percent to 9.99 percent, and Hispanic, which rose from 3.17 percent to 4.20 percent. The percentage of those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased slightly from 2.85 percent to 2.60 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 52.9% | 47.27% | -10.64% |
| White | 27.35% | 26.2% | -4.2% |
| Black | 4.44% | 9.99% | 125% |
| Two or More Races | 9.29% | 9.74% | 4.84% |
| Hispanic | 3.17% | 4.2% | 32.49% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 2.85% | 2.6% | -8.77% |