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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


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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 1911 there were 20 Lai families living in British Columbia. This was about 91% of all the recorded Lai's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Lai families in 1911.
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.
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What did your Lai ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Labourer was the top reported job for people in the Canada named Lai. 37% of Lai men worked as a Labourer.

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.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Labourer
    37%
  • Laborer
    34%
  • Market Gardener
    10%
  • Lumber Mill
    7%

What Lai family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 8,000 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 Canadian census records for Lai

Passenger Lists

There are 24,000 immigration records available for the last name Lai. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Lai immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 8,000 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.

View all Lai military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lai family history

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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.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lai

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lai 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.

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