The Lai surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 19,157 people carried this name — #1,873 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 15,400 people counted. That is up 24% from 15,490 in 2000.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 406 people named Lai.
Most of them — 211 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 26 départements, most often Bouches-du-Rhône.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
390 people named Lai live in Switzerland.
They live in 18 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 300 people named Lai live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Belgium’s population register
At least 185 people named Lai live in Belgium.
Statbel only publishes a name in a municipality when five or more people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Hainaut.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
Statbel (Statistics Belgium), family names of the population by municipality, 1 January 2026 — CC BY 4.0.
In print
Lai in American newspapers,
1892–1898.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.
Who carried it
People named Lai,
with a public archive behind them.
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Lai Peng d. 883 · writer
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Lai She d. 35
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Lai Ze d. 595
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Lai Hui d. 625
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Lai Jingye d. 715
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Lai Jingye d. 715
Wikidata (CC0).
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Lai.
When the index is not enough
This page says where Lai is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.