Explore the Family Name Ki
The meaning of Ki
1. Korean: there are two Chinese characters for the surname Ki, but one is very rare. Only the common one is discussed here. Only one Ki clan uses this other character, the Haengju Ki clan. The founder of the Haengju Ki clan, U-Sŏng, is said to have been one of three sons of the 40th generation descendant of Kija, the founder of the ancient Chosŏn kingdom c.194 BC. The other two sons, U-P’yŏng and U-kyŏng, founded the Han clan and the Sŏn’gan clan respectively. Compare Kee 4. 2. Chinese: Teochew or Hokkien form of the surname 紀, see Ji 1. 3. Chinese: Teochew or Hokkien form of the surname 祁, see Qi 2. 4. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 齊, see Qi 1.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Ki in the United States?
According to the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Ki" has significantly increased in the United States between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Ki was ranked as the 36,129th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had risen to the 29,947th position. This represents a rise in popularity of 17.11%. Additionally, the number of individuals with this surname also grew during this decade, increasing by 33.79% from 586 people in 2000 to 784 in 2010. The proportion of the population with the surname Ki per 100k also saw an increase of 22.73%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #36,129 | #29,947 | 17.11% |
| Count | 586 | 784 | 33.79% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.22 | 0.27 | 22.73% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ki
The ethnic identity associated with the surname "Ki" has also seen some shifts between 2000 and 2010, as revealed by the Decennial U.S. Census data. The majority of individuals with the surname identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, with this group seeing an increase of 4.88%, rising from 77.47% of all Kis in 2000 to 81.25% in 2010. However, the number of individuals identifying as having two or more races decreased by 38.28%, from 2.90% to 1.79%. Similarly, the percentage of White individuals with this surname declined by 15.74%. Meanwhile, the proportion of Black individuals with the surname Ki decreased slightly, by 8.93%. The data for Hispanic and American Indian and Alaskan Native populations was suppressed for privacy.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 77.47% | 81.25% | 4.88% |
| White | 14.68% | 12.37% | -15.74% |
| Black | 3.92% | 3.57% | -8.93% |
| Two or More Races | 2.9% | 1.79% | -38.28% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |