Cai Surname

67th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 8,207,082 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
China
Highest density in:
Taiwan

Cai Surname User-submission:

Chai is a Chinese surname that derives from the name of the ancient Cai state. It is regionally more common in China's Fujian Province and in areas settled by ethnic Chinese from that province than in China as a whole. The surname is the 34th most common surname in China, but the 9th most common in Taiwan, where it is usually romanized as Tsai based on Wade-Giles romanization of Standard Mandarin and the 8th most common in Singapore, where it is usually romanized as Chua, which is based on Hokkien pronunciation.

Read More About This Surname

Cai Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
China7,480,8251:18342
Taiwan636,2861:3710
Thailand14,6381:4,826160
Singapore13,4171:41168
Nepal13,4131:2,123296
Vietnam11,5911:7,993244
United States9,6191:37,6824,658
Cambodia7,0511:2,196467
Hong Kong5,3131:1,381131
Canada2,4181:15,2382,241
Australia1,7401:15,5152,197
Spain1,3061:35,7983,557
Indonesia1,1411:115,90611,758
France1,1361:58,4717,840
Macau9361:643126
Italy8661:70,62012,472
England5551:100,39310,603
Malaysia4721:62,4884,664
Samoa3651:531147
Saudi Arabia3581:86,18912,374
New Zealand2671:16,9602,965
Suriname2621:2,109279
United Arab Emirates2581:35,5133,762
Japan2381:537,16114,984
Philippines2251:449,94855,152
Brazil2221:964,29934,285
Germany2031:396,57936,740
Ecuador1831:86,9175,864
Egypt1831:502,38128,715
Sweden1561:63,1204,821
Netherlands1421:118,92418,728
Tonga1401:767219
India1001:7,670,654164,164
Dominican Republic771:135,4935,426
Jamaica761:37,7622,524
Chile631:279,6278,218
Denmark611:92,5368,820
Kuwait581:65,5297,566
Ireland551:85,6174,914
Switzerland521:157,94114,824
Belgium461:249,92730,800
Russia411:3,515,196179,721
Uganda391:1,001,00743,411
South Africa361:1,504,93677,557
Norway351:146,92218,432
Greece341:325,87646,418
Mexico331:3,761,40025,486
Finland311:177,31315,564
Scotland291:184,61410,113
Portugal281:372,08012,265
Qatar221:107,18211,536
Costa Rica201:239,0032,820
South Korea201:2,562,013525
Wales201:154,72710,755
Panama181:217,3486,003
Argentina171:2,514,318114,515
Hungary161:613,51735,830
Northern Ireland101:184,5049,341
Angola91:2,998,8024,903
Aruba91:11,4971,511
Austria71:1,216,49180,919
Kazakhstan71:2,526,071102,287
Venezuela71:4,314,86839,591
American Samoa61:9,2931,961
Colombia51:9,554,81425,159
Peru51:6,356,82538,776
Poland51:7,601,750167,855
Mozambique41:6,815,3924,272
Belarus31:3,167,020121,664
Benin31:3,445,20177,822
North Macedonia31:700,49123,754
Papua New Guinea31:2,717,906153,458
Armenia21:1,465,09016,492
Kenya21:23,089,95083,168
Albania11:2,914,05529,474
Andorra11:83,8382,381
Azerbaijan11:9,649,12247,873
Bangladesh11:159,356,77326,077
Belize11:355,4743,977
Botswana11:2,186,92930,250
Brunei11:418,7313,893
Cameroon11:20,769,068227,406
Chad11:13,592,19913,092
Croatia11:4,228,60499,289
Cyprus11:884,87613,055
Czechia11:10,633,469206,023
East Timor11:1,215,928507
El Salvador11:6,343,8888,415
Equatorial Guinea11:1,135,674984
Faroe Islands11:48,9982,049
Ghana11:27,020,69223,742
Guam11:160,1214,893
Honduras11:8,816,4429,272
Iceland11:380,09011,096
Iraq11:35,021,65431,813
Isle of Man11:85,8224,091
Israel11:8,557,634182,558
Lebanon11:5,637,08332,436
Liberia11:4,408,53547,110
Luxembourg11:580,54215,155
Moldova11:3,561,36878,271
Monaco11:37,0664,748
Morocco11:34,476,099111,471
Namibia11:2,409,40119,676
Nigeria11:177,142,758748,972
Pakistan11:178,643,885213,220
Puerto Rico11:3,550,1399,109
Slovakia11:5,336,450140,422
Slovenia11:2,487,67531,128
Sri Lanka11:20,808,56018,521
Trinidad and Tobago11:1,363,97522,013
Turkey11:77,821,422191,047
Uzbekistan11:30,929,14267,786
Zimbabwe11:15,438,240133,260

The alternate forms: Caí (2) & Caï (1) are calculated separately.

Cai (16,750) may also be a first name.

Cai Surname Meaning

User-submitted Reference

Chai is a Chinese surname that derives from the name of the ancient Cai state. It is regionally more common in China's Fujian Province and in areas settled by ethnic Chinese from that province than in China as a whole. The surname is the 34th most common surname in China, but the 9th most common in Taiwan, where it is usually romanized as Tsai based on Wade-Giles romanization of Standard Mandarin and the 8th most common in Singapore, where it is usually romanized as Chua, which is based on Hokkien pronunciation. It is also a common Cantonese name in Hong Kong where it is romanized as Choy, Choi or Tsoi, in Macao and Malaysia, it's spelled as Choi, in Malaysia and the Philippines as Chua, in Thailand as Chuo (ฉั่ว). Moreover, it is also romanized in Cambodia as either Chhay, Chhuor or Chhor among Chinese Cambodians.

- thagman51

This is a surname that derives from the name of the ancient Cai state (蔡). The spread of the Chinese diaspora into all parts of the world resulted in the Romanization of the surnames based on different languages.

- kayesokua

This surname comes from a Chinese character of several meanings, one of which is 'wild grass', another is a name of a state in ancient China.

- ytfrank

Cai Last Name Facts

Where Does The Last Name Cai Come From? nationality or country of origin

The surname Cai (Hindi: चाइ) is found in China more than any other country or territory. It may also be found as: Caí or Caï. Click here for other potential spellings of this last name.

How Common Is The Last Name Cai? popularity and diffusion

The surname is the 67th most widely held family name worldwide. It is borne by around 1 in 888 people. The surname Cai occurs mostly in Asia, where 100 percent of Cai live; 99 percent live in East Asia and 99 percent live in Sino-East Asia. It is also the 42,994th most commonly occurring first name at a global level It is held by 16,750 people.

Cai is most prevalent in China, where it is borne by 7,480,825 people, or 1 in 183. Outside of China this surname exists in 113 countries. It also occurs in Taiwan, where 8 percent live and Thailand, where 0 percent live.

Cai Last Name Statistics demography

In The United States those bearing the Cai last name are 12.07% more likely to be registered with the Democratic Party than the national average, with 65.3% being registered with the political party.

The amount Cai earn in different countries varies greatly. In Italy they earn 72.1% less than the national average, earning €8,378 per year; in Norway they earn 20.66% more than the national average, earning 417,584 kr per year; in Peru they earn 2.07% more than the national average, earning S/. 19,786 per year; in South Africa they earn 20.04% more than the national average, earning R 285,252 per year; in Vietnam they earn 12.89% less than the national average, earning 71,815,000 ₫ per year; in United States they earn 10.58% more than the national average, earning $47,715 USD per year and in Canada they earn 2.8% more than the national average, earning $51,075 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Caí892/
Caï891/
Chai861,025,020/
Caio864,823/
Caia864,356/
Cais862,424/
Caid861,011/
Caie86679/
Caji86508/
Cayi86436/
Caiz86184/
Cait86181/
Caai86136/
Caiu8682/
Csai8640/
Caii8632/
Caip8619/
Caiy866/
Caić864/
Caió861/
Caiê861/
Caiá861/
Gcai861/
Ckai861/
Czai861/
Ci80157,992/
Ca8087,668/
Chaiy754,785/
Chaji753,102/
Chaia751,727/
Chayi751,159/
Tchai75332/
Caihe75305/
Cauia75287/
Chaai75252/
Caius75226/
Czaia75226/
Chaij75219/
Cayit75212/
Chaio75157/
Chaiu75136/
Chhai75107/
Chaie75107/
Gcayi7586/
Caiez7571/
Cajio7570/
Cawie7569/
Caihu7556/
Caiou7554/
Chaih7543/
Caish7539/
Ciaio7535/
Caiut7532/
Caits7527/
Caggi7524/
Caios7522/
Chaii7521/
Caiah7519/
Cagie7518/
Caiha7517/
Cayip7514/
Csaji7512/
Caied7511/
Caiet7510/
Cayid7510/
Caies758/
Caiat757/
Cajie756/
Caias756/
Caaia754/
Caiss753/
Cahai753/
Caiid753/
Ciaia753/
Cahgi753/
Ciaji753/
Cahii752/
Caich752/
Caist752/
Caisp752/
Caiot752/
Caije752/
Kckai751/
Qucai751/
Caidh751/
Caiit751/
Cauyi751/
Ciaei751/
Caiau751/
Cahio751/
Zchai751/
Caaii751/
Caaij751/
Caaip751/
Caidz751/
Caihé751/
Cahia751/
Caipf751/
Caiyo751/
Caiús751/
Caița751/
Ckait751/
Cayie751/
Cayis751/
Cauio751/
Caiyz751/
Dchai751/
Gcaji751/
Caioh751/
Cqaip751/
Caitt750/
Caiys750/
Czaie750/
Cui675,434,667/
Chi671,098,244/
Cha67936,167/
Kai67144,948/
Zai6755,860/
Cau6741,526/
Cea6727,556/
Cat6722,568/
Cay6720,114/
Cap6719,440/
Coa6713,593/
Chaiyo679,472/
Cas676,606/
Cia676,430/
Coi674,192/
Caz673,933/
Cei673,256/
Cae672,561/
Caj672,213/
Caa672,072/
Cad671,673/
Cah671,119/
Caggia671,086/
Cih67709/
Chajii67375/
Chaiha67342/
Qai67319/
Cie67296/
Cij67200/
Tchayi67179/
Chaiho67177/
Cci67173/
Chaaij67170/
Chayyi67144/
Caggiu6796/
Sci6792/
Caggio6777/
Cahais6776/
Caihou6758/
Tca6737/
Cca6730/
Csa6728/
Chayii6721/
Cga6720/
Tci6717/
Czi6713/
Kca6713/
Cza6712/
Chhaji6711/
Hca6710/
Chhayi6710/
Tschai678/
Gca678/
Cêa678/
Cgi677/
Dci677/
Dca676/
Chaihe676/
Tchaia675/
Céa675/
Caiaia675/
Cahiez675/
Caß675/
Qca674/
Chaihi674/
Zci674/
Chaaia673/
Hci673/
Cqa673/
Caihap673/
Chaiaa672/
Côa672/
Tchaid672/
Caiaya672/
Cqi672/
Chaiee672/
C'A671/
Kckayi671/
Caiadh671/
Caiaut671/
Caiazz671/
Chaaji671/
Chajij671/
Chayhi671/
Tchait671/
Cói671/
Tchais671/
Tchaji671/
Cìa671/
Cúa671/
Cahaji671/
Cajipp671/
Cioaia671/
Ciș671/
Ciawio671/
Chaije671/
Chajiy671/
Chajio671/
Chhaia671/
Chaiaà671/
Thchai671/
Caiott671/
Caiova671/
Caihuo671/
Caajis671/
Chahyi671/
Chaioo671/
Ciaggi671/
Cayhie670/

Cai Name Transliterations

TransliterationICU LatinPercentage of Incidence
Cai in the Hindi language
चाइca'i-

Search for Another Surname

Cai Reference & Research

Cai DNA Website - A web page dedicated to the genetic research of those who bear the surname and its variants.

Cai FamilyTree DNA Project - A description of a group researching the paternal lines of men who bear the surname with the help of DNA analysis.

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Footnotes

  • Surnames are taken as the first part of an person's inherited family name, caste, clan name or in some cases patronymic
  • Descriptions may contain details on the name's etymology, origin, ethnicity and history. They are largely reproduced from 3rd party sources; diligence is advised on accepting their validity - more information
  • Name distribution statistics are generated from a global database of over 4 billion people - more information
  • Heatmap: Dark red means there is a higher occurrence of the name, transitioning to light yellow signifies a progressively lower occurrence. Clicking on selected countries will show mapping at a regional level
  • Rank: Name are ranked by incidence using the ordinal ranking method; the name that occurs the most is assigned a rank of 1; name that occur less frequently receive an incremented rank; if two or more name occur the same number of times they are assigned the same rank and successive rank is incremented by the total preceeding names
  • Ethnic group cannot necessarily be determined by geographic occurrence
  • Similar: Names listed in the "Similar" section are phonetically similar and may not have any relation to Cai
  • To find out more about this surname's family history, lookup records on Family​Search, My​Heritage, FindMyPast and Ancestry. Further information may be obtained by DNA analysis