Lai Family History

Lai Surname Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin or Cantonese form of the surname 賴 meaning ‘depend on’ in Chinese: from Lai (賴) the name of a state (located in Henan province) which was annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC).

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 來 meaning ‘to come’ in Chinese: (i) simplified form of the placename Lai (郲) the name of a fief (located in Henan province) during the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). (ii) adopted in place of the Chinese surname Lai (萊) which originated from the name of a fief/state. After its annihilation by the state of Qi people simplified the name as 萊 in order to escape from political persecutions.

Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 黎, 厲, and 酈. Also variant Romanization of the surnames 李 and 利. See Li 1 2 3 5 and 6.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 雷 see Lei.

Vietnamese (Lại): from the Chinese surname 賴 see 1 above. German: variant of Lay.

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

Similar surnames: Li, Dai, Cai, Bai, Hai, Lao, Lau, Lam, Kai, Lei

22K	Birth, Marriage, and Deaths
8K	Military Records
24K	Immigration Records
8K	Census and Voter Lists
2K	Member Trees

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Where is the Lai family from?

You can see how Lai families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lai family name was found in the USA, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Lai families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 46 Lai families living in California. This was about 81% of all the recorded Lai's in USA. California had the highest population of Lai families in 1880.

Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lai surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Lai

What did your Lai ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid domestic duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Lai.

View Census Data for Lai

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.

Unpaid domestic duties

100%

What Lai family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 8K census records available for the last name Lai. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lai census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lai

Passenger List

There are 24K immigration records available for the last name Lai. 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.

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Military Records

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

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What is the average Lai lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Lai life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1977. The average life expectancy for Lai in 1961 was 63, and 71 in 2004.

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Lai Surname Meaning

Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 黎, 厲, and 酈. Also variant Romanization of the surnames 李 and 利. See Li 1 2 3 5 and 6.

Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 雷 see Lei.

Vietnamese (Lại): from the Chinese surname 賴 see 1 above. German: variant of Lay.

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

Where is the Lai family from?

What did your Lai ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Unpaid domestic duties was the top reported job for people in the United Kingdom named Lai.

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.

Unpaid domestic duties

100%

What Lai family records will you find?

What is the average Lai lifespan?

Between 1961 and 2004, in the United States, Lai life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1968, and highest in 1977. The average life expectancy for Lai in 1961 was 63, and 71 in 2004.

Lai Family History

Lai Surname Meaning

66,000 record(s) for Lai

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

Where is the Lai family from?

What did your Lai ancestors do for a living?

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Lai family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Lai family history

What is the average Lai lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lai family tree

Search for another surname

Lai Surname Meaning

66,000 record(s) for Lai

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

Where is the Lai family from?

What did your Lai ancestors do for a living?

Top Female Occupations In 1939

What Lai family records will you find?

Census Record

Passenger List

Military Records

You've only scratched the surface of Lai family history

What is the average Lai lifespan?

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lai family tree

Search for another surname