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Tai Family History

Tai Name Meaning

Chinese:: Mandarin form of the surname 邰: (i) from the placename Tai (邰) the name of a fief (located in Wugong in Shaanxi province) granted to Hou Ji an official during the reign of the legendary Emperor Yao (c. 24th century BC). (ii) complicated form of the Chinese character Tai (台) the name of a place (located in Shandong province) in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iii) adopted as a surname by the Da Li Ji (大利稽) family from the Xianbei ethnic group in northern China during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534 AD). Mandarin form of the surname 臺 (or 台): (i) said to be traced back to Tai Tai (臺駘 or 台駘) descendants of a legendary king prior to the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC); (ii) said to be from the placename Tai (台) the name of a fief (located in present-day Shangdong province) in the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 戴 see Dai alternative Mandarin form of the surname 代 see Dai variant Romanization of the surname 載 see Tsai variant Romanization of the surname 鄭 see Zheng

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Bai, Mai, Tan, Tsai, Wai, Lai, Qi, Tay, Cai, Dai

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Where is the Tai family from?

You can see how Tai families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Tai family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Tai families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Tai family living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Tai's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Tai families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Tai surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Tai ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Tai. 43% of Tai men worked as a Laborer. .

View Census Data for Tai | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    43%
  • Waiter
    20%
  • Chef
    8%
  • Cook
    8%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Tai family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Tai. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Tai census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Tai

Passenger Lists

There are 11,000 immigration records available for the last name Tai. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Tai immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 military records available for the last name Tai. For the veterans among your Tai ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Tai lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Tai life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 1970. The average life expectancy for Tai in 1941 was 43, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Tai

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