Explore the Family Name Quay
The meaning of Quay
1. Scottish and Irish: shortened form of McKay or McKee. 2. English: variant of Kay. 3. French: topographic name for someone who lived in a house on a quayside, from Old French quai ‘quay’. 4. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 郭, possibly based on its Teochew or Hokkien pronunciation, see Guo 1.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Quay in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Quay has seen some shifts between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the name was ranked 20,072 in terms of frequency, but by 2010 it had dropped to 22,856, a decrease of 13.87%. The actual count of people bearing the Quay surname also fell from 1,236 in 2000 to 1,120 in 2010, a reduction of 9.39%. This resulted in the proportion of individuals named Quay per 100,000 people decreasing by 17.39%, from 0.46 to 0.38 within the same time period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #20,072 | #22,856 | -13.87% |
| Count | 1,236 | 1,120 | -9.39% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.46 | 0.38 | -17.39% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Quay
Examining the ethnicity associated with the surname Quay, the Decennial U.S. Census shows that between 2000 and 2010, there were significant changes in its composition. While a majority of those with the Quay surname identified as White (88.13% in 2010), there was a small decline of 1.42% from 2000. However, the percentage of individuals identifying as Black or Hispanic increased considerably, with the former experiencing a notable 157.53% growth and the latter increasing by 35.39%. There was also a slight increase of 5.43% in those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native. Nonetheless, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and of two or more races both saw decreases of 15.24% and 37.06% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 89.4% | 88.13% | -1.42% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 5.34% | 5.63% | 5.43% |
| Hispanic | 1.78% | 2.41% | 35.39% |
| Black | 0.73% | 1.88% | 157.53% |
| Two or More Races | 1.7% | 1.07% | -37.06% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.05% | 0.89% | -15.24% |