Kai Family History

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Kai Name Meaning

Dutch and North German: topographic name for someone living by a quayside, from Dutch kaai ‘quay’, German Kai (which was borrowed from the Dutch). Danish and Frisian: from the Danish personal name Kai, Kaj, Kay, which is of uncertain origin, most likely from Frisian or Latin Caius. Japanese: the original meaning is probably ‘shell’, but the name is written phonetically with two characters meaning ‘first class’ or ‘shell’, plus ‘beauty’. Though the surname is found mostly in the island of Kyushu, some families could have connections with the ancient province of Kai (now Yamanashi prefecture) in the mountains of central Honshu.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Kay, Kan, Kari, Kam, Kau, Lai, Mai, Oki, Mar, Iwai

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Kai Family Origin

Where is the Kai family from?

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You can see how Kai families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Kai family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1861 and 1920. The most Kai families were found in the USA in 1920. In 1911 there were 9 Kai families living in British Columbia. This was about 64% of all the recorded Kai's in Canada. British Columbia had the highest population of Kai families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Kai surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

View Census Data for Kai

Kai Family Occupations

What did your Kai ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Laborer was the top reported job for people in the CA named Kai. 28% of Kai men worked as a Laborer

View Census data for Kai | Data not to scale

Top Male Occupations in 1921

  • Laborer
    28%
  • Labourer
    19%
  • Restaurant
    19%
  • Storekeeper
    19%

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Kai Historical Records

What Kai family records will you find?

Census Record

There are 4,000 census records available for the last name Kai. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Kai census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Kai

Passenger List

There are 5,000 immigration records available for the last name Kai. 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 Kai immigration records

Draft Card

There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Kai. For the veterans among your Kai ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Kai military records

You've only scratched the surface of Kai family history.

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Kai Life Expectancy

What is the average Kai lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Kai life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1962, and highest in 1974. The average life expectancy for Kai in 1947 was 78, and 64 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Kai

Famous Kai Family Ancestors

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