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Chai Family History

Chai Surname Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 柴, a word meaning ‘firewood’ in Chinese. From the personal name Chai (柴), the personal name of Gao Chai (高柴), a student of Confucius (551–479 BC). His grandson Ju (举) and Ju's descendants inherited his personal name 柴 as their surname.

Chinese: alternative Mandarin form of the surname 翟, see Zhai. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 齊, see Qi.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 蔡 (see Cai) and 宰 (see Tsai). Korean: variant of Chae.

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


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Where is the Chai family from?

You can see how Chai families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Chai family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Chai families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 5 Chai families living in California. This was 100% of all the recorded Chai's in USA. California had the highest population of Chai families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Chai 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 Chai ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the USA named Chai. 55% of Chai men worked as a Laborer.

View Census Data for Chai | 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
    55%
  • Owner
    28%
  • Truck Driver
    19%

What Chai family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Chai. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Chai census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Chai

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Chai. 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 Chai immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 3,000 military records available for the last name Chai. For the veterans among your Chai ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Chai military records

You've only scratched the surface of Chai family history

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What is the average Chai lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2004, in the United States, Chai life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1971, and highest in 1985. The average life expectancy for Chai in 1963 was 75, and 79 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Chai

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Chai 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 Chai family tree

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