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Thai Family History

Thai Surname Meaning

Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 邰 see Tai Vietnamese: variant of Sái see Sai.

Cambodian: written ថៃ possibly of Vietnamese origin (see above). The surname ថៃ also corresponds to the Khmer ethnic name for a Thai (Siamese).

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 蔡 see Cai.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 戴 see Dai.

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


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Thai family from?

You can see how Thai families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Thai family name was found in the USA, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Thai families were found in USA in 1920. In 1841 there was 1 Thai family living in Roxburghshire. This was 100% of all the recorded Thai's in Scotland. Roxburghshire had the highest population of Thai families in 1841.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Thai 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 Thai ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Ironer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Thai. 50% of Thai men worked as an Ironer.

View Census Data for Thai | 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

  • Ironer
    50%
  • Laundryman
    50%

What Thai family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 320 census records available for the last name Thai. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Thai census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Thai

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Thai. 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 Thai immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 352 military records available for the last name Thai. For the veterans among your Thai ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Thai military records

You've only scratched the surface of Thai family history

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What is the average Thai lifespan?

Between 1981 and 2004, in the United States, Thai life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1988, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Thai in 1981 was 76, and 60 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Thai

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Thai ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Thai family tree

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