Cay Surname

26,716th
Most Common
surname in the World

Approximately 20,114 people bear this surname

Most prevalent in:
Cambodia
Highest density in:
Cambodia

Cay Surname Definition:

Thomas Cay alias Makcuyk was tenant of Tumbelle in Strathdee, 1539 (ER., XVII, p. 659). William Cay was cautioner for George McConil Reoche, 1602 (Rec. Inv., II. p. 3), and William J. Caie from Forglen served in the first Great War (Turriff).

Read More About This Surname

Cay Surname Distribution Map

PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
Cambodia13,7331:1,128284
Philippines1,9791:51,1568,424
Vietnam1,8301:50,626558
United States6031:601,09348,934
Guatemala2521:63,8202,464
India2371:3,236,56394,502
Australia1761:153,38516,171
Puerto Rico1591:22,328759
United Arab Emirates1571:58,3585,656
Canada1051:350,91031,754
Qatar941:25,0852,628
Germany791:1,019,05669,716
South Africa781:694,58649,962
Taiwan751:312,5972,517
England741:752,94741,527
Spain721:649,33429,324
Switzerland611:134,63813,235
Indonesia591:2,241,512136,522
Peru301:1,059,47119,489
Netherlands271:625,45153,034
France261:2,554,720189,486
Scotland231:232,77511,829
Panama231:170,0985,250
Sweden211:468,89333,666
Austria181:473,08046,251
Russia161:9,007,691311,782
Singapore131:423,66918,211
Thailand101:7,063,834426,148
China91:151,924,6187,954
Belgium81:1,437,08092,692
Israel71:1,222,51968,299
Denmark61:940,78647,603
Brazil51:42,814,866547,158
Egypt41:22,983,93862,368
Dominican Republic41:2,608,23320,941
Kazakhstan41:4,420,624134,293
Argentina41:10,685,854219,200
Algeria31:12,877,18484,902
Moldova21:1,780,68455,103
Norway21:2,571,14395,402
Czechia11:10,633,469206,023
Ireland11:4,708,93929,543
Angola11:26,989,21411,853
Armenia11:2,930,18022,770
Bahrain11:1,348,60810,432
Venezuela11:30,204,07785,459
Belarus11:9,501,059159,228
Bolivia11:10,616,43417,077
Ukraine11:45,522,696503,646
Uganda11:39,039,279258,887
Turkmenistan11:5,489,11211,427
Cayman Islands11:63,8932,384
Colombia11:47,774,07244,230
Greece11:11,079,790145,225
Haiti11:10,683,90724,607
Italy11:61,156,688199,583
Somalia11:13,452,0619,224
Kenya11:46,179,900103,372
Malaysia11:29,494,225409,885
Saudi Arabia11:30,855,81763,028
Mexico11:124,126,205103,776
Micronesia11:106,2431,380
Portugal11:10,418,24125,048
Morocco11:34,476,099111,471
New Zealand11:4,528,32355,372
Nigeria11:177,142,758748,972
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
England1081:225,69817,096
Scotland651:57,5883,712
Isle of Man11:54,2692,077
Wales11:1,568,41619,290
PlaceIncidenceFrequencyRank in Area
United States1671:300,71123,854

The alternate forms: Çay (23,034) are calculated separately.

Cay (13,646) may also be a first name.

Cay Surname Meaning

From Where Does The Surname Originate? meaning and history

Thomas Cay alias Makcuyk was tenant of Tumbelle in Strathdee, 1539 (ER., XVII, p. 659). William Cay was cautioner for George McConil Reoche, 1602 (Rec. Inv., II. p. 3), and William J. Caie from Forglen served in the first Great War (Turriff). The name has been for some time associated with Aberdeen. Cai (modern Welsh Cet), the name of one of Arthur's chief companions of the Round Table, is borrowed from Latin Caius (Gaius).

The Surnames of Scotland (1946) by George Fraser Black (1866-1948)

An Ulster variant of Mackay, q.v. SIF 31

A Guide to Irish Names (1964) by Edward MacLysaght

Formerly spelt Key. B.L.G.

Patronymica Britannica (1860) by Mark Antony Lower

A place of security, a warden or keeper; they bear in their arms a griffin's head erased, in the beak a key azure.

The Origin and Signification of Scottish Surnames (1862) by Clifford Stanley Sims (1839-1896)

Kea, in the Cornish—British and Welsh, is an inclosure; that which fastens or secures; a landing for vessels; French, quai; Dutch, kaai; Gaelic, ceithe.

An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names (1857) by William Arthur

User-submitted Reference

The Cay surname means 'fish'. Derived from the Classic Mayan word chay.

- Forebears.io Manual Submissions

Cay Last Name Facts

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

Cay has its highest incidence in Cambodia. It can also be rendered as: Çay. For other potential spellings of this last name click here.

How Common Is The Last Name Cay? popularity and diffusion

The surname Cay is the 26,716th most common last name on earth It is held by approximately 1 in 362,312 people. It occurs predominantly in Asia, where 90 percent of Cay live; 88 percent live in Southeast Asia and 68 percent live in Khmer-Asia. It is also the 49,549th most widely held first name world-wide It is held by 13,646 people.

The last name is most widely held in Cambodia, where it is carried by 13,733 people, or 1 in 1,128. In Cambodia it is most numerous in: Kandal Province, where 11 percent are found, Siem Reap Province, where 10 percent are found and Kampong Cham Province, where 9 percent are found. Apart from Cambodia it exists in 65 countries. It is also common in The Philippines, where 10 percent are found and Vietnam, where 9 percent are found.

Cay Family Population Trend historical fluctuation

The occurrence of Cay has changed over time. In The United States the share of the population with the last name expanded 361 percent between 1880 and 2014; in England it fell 31 percent between 1881 and 2014 and in Scotland it fell 65 percent between 1881 and 2014.

Cay Last Name Statistics demography

In The United States those bearing the Cay last name are 9.23% more likely to be registered with the Republican Party than the national average, with 56% being registered with the party.

The amount Cay earn in different countries varies greatly. In Peru they earn 56.27% less than the national average, earning S/. 8,478 per year; in South Africa they earn 149.23% more than the national average, earning R 592,260 per year; in United States they earn 6.35% more than the national average, earning $45,890 USD per year and in Canada they earn 1.62% more than the national average, earning $50,488 CAD per year.

Phonetically Similar Names

SurnameSimilarityWorldwide IncidencePrevalency
Çay8923,034/
Chay8662,567/
Cayo8626,714/
Caya8617,421/
Caye861,969/
Cayu861,119/
Caay861,087/
Cayi86436/
Cays86332/
Cahy8636/
Csay8618/
Scay8614/
Cayz8610/
Cayé8610/
Ckay869/
Ciay867/
Caiy866/
Cayd864/
Cayp864/
Zcay863/
Cauy862/
Cayô862/
Cayt861/
Cayó861/
Cayú861/
Qcay861/
Cayj861/
Cqay861/
Ca8087,668/
Cy80357/
Cahya7514,888/
Cahyo7513,529/
Chaya7511,524/
Chhay758,837/
Chaiy754,785/
Cayas752,258/
Cauya752,004/
Cayat751,939/
Caaya751,511/
Cayet751,412/
Cayot751,167/
Chayi751,159/
Chaye75596/
Chayo75574/
Cayez75505/
Cayad75344/
Czaya75308/
Cayes75243/
Ccayo75235/
Ccaya75228/
Cayit75212/
Cahay75187/
Cayou75174/
Cayap75128/
Cayos75125/
Chayu75124/
Cayau75119/
Chaay7592/
Gcayi7586/
Tchay7571/
Cayut7538/
Cahyu7536/
Cajyo7521/
Cahye7521/
Cahey7519/
Cayus7516/
Ciayu7515/
Cayip7514/
Cayod7513/
Coaya7513/
Scaya7510/
Cayid7510/
Cayaa759/
Cayup757/
Ciaya756/
Cayed756/
Czayo754/
Scaye754/
Cauyo754/
Cayaz754/
Cquay753/
Kckay753/
Cayts753/
Ca'ay753/
Cayah752/
Cayha752/
Cayee752/
Cauyi751/
Hcayo751/
Thcay751/
Caiyo751/
Ckaya751/
Cayie751/
Cayis751/
Cayoo751/
Cayud751/
Chgay751/
Chayh751/
Caiyz751/
Dcaya751/
Scahy750/
Cayho750/
Caiys750/
Scayo750/
Cai678,207,082/
Cha67936,167/
Kay67311,583/
Say67173,035/
Chy6780,240/
Jay6755,828/
Coy6749,623/
Cau6741,526/
Cea6727,556/
Cat6722,568/
Cap6719,440/
Coa6713,593/
Zay6713,392/
Chaiyo679,472/
Cahaya676,620/
Cas676,606/
Cia676,430/
Cuy676,380/
Caz673,933/
Chhaya673,144/
Cae672,561/
Caj672,213/
Caa672,072/
Cad671,673/
Chayee671,626/
Cah671,119/
Chaaya67971/
Tchaya67682/
Cahayu67414/
Tchaye67294/
Tchayo67187/
Tchayi67179/
Cayaya67161/
Cuhaya67154/
Chayyi67144/
Cey67125/
Ccayas67115/
Qay6787/
Cayoux6747/
Cuyaya6741/
Ccy6739/
Tca6737/
Cahayo6732/
Cauyas6732/
Cujaya6730/
Cca6730/
Csy6730/
Cayaux6728/
Csa6728/
Cauyez6725/
Chhaye6723/
Chayii6721/
Cga6720/
Cauyad6720/
Cahyah6717/
Sca6717/
Cyh6716/
Zca6715/
Kca6713/
Cayhoe6712/
Cza6712/
Chzhay6711/
Cahyad6710/
Cahyos6710/
Hca6710/
Chhayi6710/
Cayous679/
Cauyah679/
Cauyap679/
Cayaus679/
Gca678/
Cêa678/
Cahyap677/
Chayaa677/
Chayoo677/
Cajaya676/
Dca676/
Chayyo676/
Tcy676/
Cky676/
Czy676/
Céa675/
Caß675/
Coyaya674/
Cauyat674/
Qca674/
Cqa673/
Dcy673/
Hcy673/
Chhayo672/
Côa672/
Caí672/
Cayash672/
Cayaut672/
Caiaya672/
C'A671/
Kckayi671/
Cayach671/
Cayeau671/
Chgaya671/
Chhayu671/
Chayhi671/
Csayah671/
Ckayas671/
Ciaeys671/
Cìa671/
Cúa671/
Cayaja671/
Cayaud671/
Cayees671/
Cayuch671/
Caï671/
Czayas671/
Chajiy671/
Chayje671/
Cahhyt671/
Chahyi671/
Cayath671/
Chauyo671/
Cayott670/
Cayhie670/

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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 Cay
  • 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