Explore the Family Name Phy

The meaning of Phy

1. Americanized form of an unidentified German surname, most probably Fey or Fay. 2. Cambodian: written ភី, corresponding to the Khmer word meaning e.g. ‘guardian’ or ‘foster brother/sister’, and to a homonymous adverb meaning ‘with an air of importance’.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Phy experienced a slight dip in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 37,266th in commonality amongst surnames in the United States, but by 2010, it had dropped to 39,607th, marking a decrease of 6.28%. The total count of individuals bearing the Phy surname also decreased slightly from 563 in 2000 to 555 in 2010, representing a change of -1.42%. In terms of proportion per 100,000 people, the surname also fell by 9.52%.

20002010Change
Rank#37,266#39,607-6.28%
Count563555-1.42%
Proportion per 100k0.210.19-9.52%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Phy

The ethnicity data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Phy between 2000 and 2010. A notable increase was observed in the percentage of individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander or belonging to two or more races. In 2000, 22.74% of those carrying the Phy surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, which rose to 23.96% by 2010, marking an increase of 5.36%. Similarly, the percentage of Phys identifying as part of two or more races jumped from 1.60% to 2.70%, a significant rise of 68.75%. However, there was a decline in the percentage of those identifying as White, falling from 74.42% in 2000 to 70.09% in 2010, a change of -5.82%. There were no recorded individuals with the surname Phy who identified as Hispanic, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2000. However, by 2010, 2.52% identified as Hispanic.

20002010Change
White74.42%70.09%-5.82%
Asian/Pacific Islander22.74%23.96%5.36%
Two or More Races1.6%2.7%68.75%
Hispanic0%2.52%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%