Tai Family History

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.