Explore the Family Name Ngai

The meaning of Ngai

Chinese: 1. Cantonese form of the surnames 魏 and 危, see Wei 1 and 2. 2. Cantonese form of the surname 倪, see Ni. 3. Cantonese form of the surname 艾, see Ai 2. 4. Cantonese form of the surnames 蟻 and 羿, see Yi 6 and 9. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Kwok, Kwong, Ming, Kwok Kwan, Wai, Yuet Ming, Cheung, Chi, Chi Kin, Chin, Chun, Fong. Southeast Asian Hung, Chau, Dai, Tuan, Tung.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Ngai in the United States?

According to the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Ngai" has seen a rise in popularity in the United States. In 2000, Ngai ranked 18,412 in popularity, but by 2010, it had risen to rank 17,392, demonstrating an increase of 5.54%. The count of individuals with the surname also increased from 1,385 in 2000 to 1,623 in 2010, marking a significant growth of 17.18%. The proportion of people named Ngai per 100,000 individuals also saw a mild increase from 0.51 to 0.55, showing a change of 7.84%.

20002010Change
Rank#18,412#17,3925.54%
Count1,3851,62317.18%
Proportion per 100k0.510.557.84%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Ngai

The Decennial U.S. Census data further reveals interesting insights about the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Ngai". In 2000, an overwhelming 96.03% of individuals with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, which slightly decreased to 94.58% by 2010. Those identifying as having two or more races increased from 1.81% to 2.53% during the same period. The representation of the surname among White individuals saw a minor increase from 1.37% to 1.60%, while the Hispanic representation experienced a significant jump from 0.36% to 1.05%. However, the percentage of Black individuals and American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals with this surname was zero in 2010.

20002010Change
Asian/Pacific Islander96.03%94.58%-1.51%
Two or More Races1.81%2.53%39.78%
White1.37%1.6%16.79%
Hispanic0.36%1.05%191.67%
Black0.43%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%