Explore the Family Name Pei
The meaning of Pei
Chinese: 1. Mandarin form of the surname 裴, meaning ‘(of gown) hanging down’ in ancient Chinese: (i) from the placename Pei (裴), the name of a fief (located in Shanxi province) granted to a descendant of the king Qin Feizi (died about 858 BC), the founder of the state of Qin. (ii) from the placename Pei Zhong (裴中), the name of a fief (said to be located in Shaanxi province) in the state of Jin, granted to Pei Jun (裴君), said to be a descendant of the legendary king Zhuanxu (traditional dates: 2514–2437 BC). 2. alternative Mandarin form of the surname 貝, see Bei 2. 3. Cantonese form of the surname 皮, see Pi 2. 4. variant Romanization of the surname 白, see Bai 1. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Ting, Jin, Ming, Chih, Ching, Dehua, Ji, Kun, Lei, Pei, Shin, Shu.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Pei in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Pei has significantly increased over a decade. In 2000, Pei was ranked as the 30,443rd most common surname, while by 2010, it moved up to the 21,940th position — an increase of 27.93%. In addition, the total count of individuals with the Pei surname also rose from 724 in 2000 to 1,183 in 2010, marking a growth rate of 63.4%. The proportion per 100,000 people also increased by 48.15% during this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #30,443 | #21,940 | 27.93% |
| Count | 724 | 1,183 | 63.4% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.27 | 0.4 | 48.15% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Pei
On the other hand, the ethnic identity associated with the surname Pei remained largely consistent between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. The majority of individuals bearing this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, with the percentage slightly reducing from 92.96% in 2000 to 92.65% in 2010. The proportion of individuals of two or more races increased notably by 68.33%, while the percentage of those who identify as white decreased by 27.38% within the same period. Meanwhile, there were no changes in Hispanic, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native segments, remaining at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 92.96% | 92.65% | -0.33% |
| Two or More Races | 2.21% | 3.72% | 68.33% |
| White | 4.42% | 3.21% | -27.38% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |