NameCensus.

UK surname

Cai

A Chinese surname meaning "colorful" or "vegetable," or an Italian surname referring to an abbreviation of the given name Gaius.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Southwark, Preston and Trafford.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Cai is 310 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

310

2016, ranked #14,406

Peak year

2016

310 bearers

Map years

2

2006 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 310 in 2016, ranked #14,406.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Student Living and Professional Footholds.

Cai surname distribution map

The map shows where the Cai surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Cai surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Cai over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 3 #32,890
1997 modern 23 #35,484
1998 modern 30 #34,833
1999 modern 46 #33,424
2000 modern 48 #33,288
2001 modern 51 #32,850
2002 modern 61 #32,286
2003 modern 70 #31,486
2004 modern 70 #31,681
2005 modern 102 #27,689
2006 modern 107 #27,179
2007 modern 133 #24,059
2008 modern 144 #23,037
2009 modern 173 #20,869
2010 modern 228 #17,844
2011 modern 205 #18,965
2012 modern 254 #16,328
2013 modern 274 #15,764
2014 modern 294 #15,047
2015 modern 296 #14,893
2016 modern 310 #14,406

Geography

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Where Cais are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Southwark, Preston, Trafford, Lichfield and Barnet. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Southwark 008 Southwark
2 Preston 015 Preston
3 Trafford 003 Trafford
4 Lichfield 007 Lichfield
5 Barnet 007 Barnet

Forenames

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First names often paired with Cai

These lists show first names that appear often with the Cai surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Cai

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Cai, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Student Living and Professional Footholds

Nationally, the Cai surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Student Living and Professional Footholds, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Cai household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

The Group includes many students, some of whom reside in communal residences. Single-person households are the most prevalent and the modal age band is 25 to 44. There are few families with dependent children. A significant number of White residents were born in EU countries (although UK-born residents are more common than in the rest of the Group), and households reflect a diversity of ethnic groups. Residential turnover is exceptionally high and, communal properties aside, flats are the norm. Some properties, including those in the private rental sector, are over-crowded. Many residents are professionals and technicians educated to degree level, and the Group is particularly common near the campuses of established university towns and cities.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Cai is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Cai is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Cai falls in decile 3 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

3
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Cai is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
Asian - Chinese

This describes the area pattern most associated with Cai, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Cai

The surname CAI originated in China, with the earliest records dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD). It is derived from the Chinese word "cai," which means wealth or fortune. The name was initially associated with people who were prosperous or had achieved financial success.

During the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), the CAI surname gained prominence and was widely adopted by families across various regions of China. Historical records from this period, such as the Song Huiyao (a collection of government documents), mention individuals bearing the surname CAI.

One notable figure bearing this surname was Cai Xiang (1012-1067 AD), a prominent scholar and statesman during the Song Dynasty. He served as a high-ranking official and was known for his contributions to Neo-Confucian philosophy.

In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the surname CAI continued to be prevalent, particularly in the eastern provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu. The "Cai" place name can be found in various locations within these regions, suggesting that the surname may have originated or been concentrated in these areas.

Another significant figure with the CAI surname was Cai Lun (63-121 AD), a renowned inventor and official during the Eastern Han Dynasty. He is credited with the invention of paper, a significant contribution that had a profound impact on the spread of knowledge and communication in ancient China.

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912 AD), the CAI surname was widely dispersed throughout China, with notable individuals such as Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940), a prominent educator and politician who played a crucial role in modernizing China's education system.

Other notable individuals with the CAI surname include Cai Yuanpei (1868-1940), an influential educator and politician during the late Qing and early Republican era, and Cai Qing (1858-1935), a renowned painter and calligrapher of the late Qing Dynasty.

It is important to note that historical records and documentation may have variations in the spelling or romanization of the surname CAI due to the complexities of transliterating Chinese characters into different writing systems over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Cai surname: questions and answers

How common is the Cai surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 310 in 2016. That gives Cai a modern rank of #14,406.

What does the Cai surname mean?

A Chinese surname meaning "colorful" or "vegetable," or an Italian surname referring to an abbreviation of the given name Gaius.

What does the Cai map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Cai bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.