Popular Thai Surnames & Their Meanings

Thailand is a Southeast Asian country full of rich culture and history, but did you know that most Thai people did not use last names until 1913? This was when the king passed a law requiring each family to have a unique surname. Keep reading as we explore these traditional names and why they’re unique.

What are some common Thai last names?

Because each Thai family must have a unique last name, there aren’t “common” surnames in the traditional sense. Typically, Thai surnames reflect a person’s ancestry, occupation, or place of origin. Here are a few notable names:

Krungthep (meaning: a region of Bangkok)
Chakrii (meaning: “king”)
Ratanaporn (meaning: “crystal blessing”)
Ratchasakun (meaning: “royal family”)

Section 1 of 8:

Traditional Thai Last Names

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In Thailand, surnames are unique to a single family; two families can’t have the same last name.^{[1]
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Research source} Because of this, surnames often carry deep meanings and reflect the heritage of a person and their family. Here are some notable examples:
- Adulyadej (meaning: “incomparable power”)
- Ayutthaya (meaning: “unconquerable or invincible”)
- Chaichana (meaning: “winner, victorious”)
- Charoensuk (meaning: “to prosper or increase with delight”)
- Krungthep (meaning: a region of Bangkok)
- Makok (meaning: a place name in Thailand)
- Soikham (meaning: “necklace of gold”)
- Sombat (meaning: “prosperity, wealth, success”)
- Somsri (meaning: “honor, sacred, glory”)
- Srisuwan (meaning: “splendor, golden”)
- Tham-boon (meaning: “gloriously blessed person”)
- Thong Di (meaning: “one with white teeth; good gold”)

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Thai Surnames with Chinese Origin

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Many Thai surnames have Chinese roots; this is because many people immigrated to Thailand from China over the course of centuries. The two cultures have become closely integrated. Here are some examples:
- Chen (meaning: “break of day, morning”)
- Huang (meaning: “yellow”)
- Li (meaning: “minister”)
- Liu (meaning: “willow tree”)
- Saelee (meaning: “pretty, powerful”)
- Saetang (meaning: “gift of God”)
- Wang (meaning: “hope or wish”)
- Wong (meaning: “jade, yellow, vast, king”)
- Wu (meaning: “martial arts, military, business”)
- Zhang (meaning: “archer”)

Section 3 of 8:

Thai Surnames Inspired by Other Cultures

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Since immigrants must choose a unique surname when they become citizens or permanent residents of Thailand, many Thai last names have roots in other cultures. Here are some examples:
- Bhongam (Sanskrit for “beautiful tree of enlightenment”)
- Boonya (Sanskrit for “virtue”)
- Bunmi (Yoruba for “my gift”)
- Chakri (Telugu for “Lord Vishnu”)
- Diep (Vietnamese for “leaves or flowers”)
- Du (Vietnamese for “play”)
- Lee (Tagalog, Malay, and Indonesian for “pasture or meadow”)
- Pasu (Sanskrit for “beast”)
- Kasem (Arabic for “wellbeing or happiness”)
- Rattana (Khmer for “gem, jewel”)
- Saelim (Arabic for “safe, undamaged”)
- Suwan (Arabic for “consolation, solace”)
- Sethi (Urdu and Punjabi for “the head of a guild”)
- Thakur (Sanskrit for “master of the estate”)
- Tan (Vietnamese for “new”)

Section 4 of 8:

Royal Thai Surnames

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Some surnames are closely associated with Thai royal ranks and titles, especially the Chakri Dynasty, Thailand’s current ruling royal house.^{[2]
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Research source} While there aren’t a ton of royal surnames, these names evoke feelings of power and elegance:
- Chakrii (meaning: “king”)
- Mahidol (meaning: “ground of the earth;” after Prince Mahidol Adulyadej)
- Na Kalasin (meaning: “at Kalasin”)
- Ratchasakun (meaning: “royal family”)
- Rattanakosin (meaning: derived from the Chakri Dynasty)

Section 5 of 8:

Short Thai Surnames

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The length of a Thai person’s last name can sometimes tell you about their ancestry. Those with shorter surnames usually have ancestors who were native to Thailand before the 20th century. These names often reflect a person’s place of origin or occupation. Here are some notable short names:^{[3]
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Research source}
- A-wut (meaning: “weapon”)
- Boonmee (meaning: “capable, reliable, generous, loyal”)
- Bun Ma (meaning: “one with luck”)
- Bunsi (meaning: “glory, honor, splendor”)
- Bunsuk (meaning: “joy, happiness”)
- Chaidee (meaning: “kind”)
- Chaiya (meaning: “victory”)
- Charoen (meaning: “to flourish or advance”)
- Ngam (meaning: “beautiful”)
- Noi (meaning: “bird”)

Section 6 of 8:

Long Thai Surnames

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Thai people with longer surnames likely had ancestors who immigrated to Thailand after the 20th century. This is because all Thai citizens must have a unique surname that is not used by another family. Shorter names were already taken, so they had to choose longer ones. Here are some examples:^{[4]
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- Apisamaimongkol (meaning: “magic knowledge, prosperity”)
- Assaratanakul (meaning: “horse, precious gem”)
- Boonyaratglin (meaning: “delight, happiness”)
- Chaiyaporn (meaning: “victory, blessing”)
- Ratanaporn (meaning: “crystal blessing”)
- Saengkaew (meaning: “crystal light”)
- Shinawatra (meaning: “routinely does good”)
- Suwannarat (meaning: “gem, jewel, gold”)
- Thepnakorn (meaning: “golden angel”)
- Vatanasombat (meaning: “prosperity, goodness”)

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Why are Thai last names unique?

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According to Thai law, no two families can have the same last name. People in Thailand did not use surnames until 1913, when King Rama VI declared that everyone must adopt one. His law also stated that each family must have a unique surname. Because of this, there aren’t as many “common” last names as there are in other cultures, where different families may use the same name.^{[5]
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- Thai people often chose surnames that held significance to them or their family.
- If you become a Thai citizen or permanent resident, you must select a unique last name. This allows new last names to pop up occasionally.
- The average Thai surname is only shared by 28 people.