Chi
A surname found in several cultures, most often as a short form or romanization with different possible origins depending on family background.
The #4,843 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,451 Americans shares it.
Etymology
As a surname, Chi can have different origins in different languages, so there is no single universal derivation. In Chinese families it is usually a romanization of a Chinese family name or syllable, while English historical surname books mainly discuss similar-looking forms only incidentally and do not give a direct derivation for Chi itself. The evidence supplied here does not support one fixed etymology for all bearers of the name.
History
Because Chi is short and can reflect more than one naming tradition, its family history depends heavily on the specific lineage and country of use. In modern records it is especially familiar as a Chinese surname in diaspora communities, including the United States. The historical English surname sources provided do not establish Chi as a standard native English hereditary surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Its brevity makes Chi one of those surnames that can look simple on the page but hide very different family histories underneath.
From the historical record
“CHI 59 CHERR.YMAN. A grower of cherries or a dealer in that fruit. So Applcman, Pearman, Notmau (i.e. Nut-man), &c. CHESHIRE. CIIESSHYRE. The palatine county. CHESNEY. Probably O.F. chesne— the oak tree.”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United Kingdom