100 Common Thai Surnames You Need To Know

Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/th/most-common-thai-surnames/

Did you know that most Thai people didn’t have surnames until 1913? In Thai culture, before 1913, people were just called by their first names and the place they lived in. But this changed with a law in 1913, when King Rama VI declared that the Thai people needed surnames like Western people. A minor difference is that Thai surnames can only be shared by people who are family and directly related to each other. This amazing array of names stems from that same 1913 law. This law also hinders different families take the same surnames in Thailand.

Many Thai names are derived from Chinese origin therefore, Thai origin surname is not common compared to Thai-Chinese origin. They are long and compound surnames. However, there are also some shorter Thai surnames that belong to those whose family has been in Thailand for generations.

If you see a Thai surname name with two syllables or less, it probably belongs to someone whose family was native in Thailand around the 20th century. When it comes to the longer surnames, they are more likely to belong to immigrants to honor both countries and to differentiate themselves from others in their family line who stayed in their hometown. For this reason, some Thai surnames can’t be translated into English.

Let’s have a look at popular Thai surnames and their meanings.

Common Thai Surnames

1. Adulyadej — อดุลยเดช (Thai Origin) meaning “incomparable power”

2. Anant — อนันต์ (Thai Origin) meaning “eternal”

3. Anuman — อนุมาน (Thai Origin) meaning “small patience”

4. Anurak — อนุรักษ์ (Thai Origin) meaning “an angel” in Thai mythology

5. Aromdee — อารมณ์ดี (Thai Origin) meaning “rare”

6. Asnee — อัสนี (Thai Origin) meaning “lightning”

7. Ayutthaya — อยุธยา (Thai Origin) meaning “unconquerable or invincible” and stemming from a royal family

8. Anchali — อัญชลี (Thai Origin) meaning “greeting”

9. Amarin — อมรินทร์ (Thai Origin) meaning “undying”

10. Apinya — อภิญญา (Thai Origin) meaning “magical power”

11. Anong — อนงค์ (Thai Origin) meaning “gorgeous woman”

12. Arthit — อาทิตย์ (Thai Origin) meaning “man of the sun”

13. A-wut — อาวุทธ์ (Thai Origin) meaning “weapon”

14. Amphom — อัมพร (Thai Origin) meaning “sky”

15. Aree — อารี (Thai Origin) meaning “hospitable”

16. Buathong — บัวทอง (Thai Origin) meaning “gold lotus”

17. Boonmee — บุญมี (Thai Origin) meaning “merit have”

18. Boonrueng — บุญเรือง (Thai Origin) meaning “virtue (with) glory”

19. Boonya — บุญญา (Thai Origin) meaning “virtue”

20. Boon-Nam — บุญนำ (Thai Origin) meaning “born to good fortune”

21. Bunrueang — บุญเรือง (Thai Origin) meaning “good fortune”

22. Bun Ma — บุญมา (Thai Origin) meaning “to have luck”

23. Busarakham — บุษราคัม (Thai Origin) meaning “topaz”

24. Chaem Choi — แช้มช้อย (Thai Origin) meaning “gracefulness”

25. Chaidee — ชัยดี (Thai Origin) meaning “kind”

26. Chai Charoen — ชัยเจริญ (Thai Origin) meaning “triumphant”

27. Chai Son — ชัยสนธิ์ (Thai Origin) meaning “mischievous boy”

28. Chaiya — ไชยา (Thai Origin) meaning “victory”

29. Chaisai — ชัยสัย (Thai Origin) meaning “victory”

30. Channarong — ชาญณรงค์ (Thai Origin) meaning “experienced soldier; experienced warrior”

31. Chakan — ชากัญญ์ (Thai Origin) meaning “able bodied”

32. Chakrii — จักรี (Thai Origin) meaning “king”

33. Chinda — จินดา (Thai Origin) meaning “precious stone”

34. Charoensuk — ชาเรือนศักดิ์ (Thai Origin) meaning “to prosper, to develop, to increase (with) delight”

35. Chevapravatdumrong — ชีวประวัติดำรงค์ (Thai Origin) meaning “”biography (with) to sustain”

36. Chokdee — โชคดี (Thai Origin) meaning “lucky”

37. Chongrak — จงรัก (Thai Origin) meaning “loyal”

38. Chuahirun — เชาหิรัญ (Thai Origin) meaning “unknown”

39. Daeng — แดง (Thai Origin) meaning “red”

40. Daorueang — ดาวเรือง (Thai Origin) meaning “calendula”

41. Duangkamol — ดวงกมล (Thai Origin) meaning “from the heart”

42. Gop — กบ (Thai Origin) meaning “frog”

43. Jaikieow — ใจเขียว (Thai Origin) meaning “blue or green heart”

44. Krungthep — กรุงเทพ (Thai Origin) meaning “from Krungthep” an area of Bangkok, Thailand

45. Karawek — การเวก (Thai Origin) meaning “a reference to a bird native to Thailand”

46. Kasem — เกษม (Thai Origin) meaning “pure happiness”

47. Khaengkad — เก่งกาจ (Thai Origin) meaning “brave”

48. Kittibun — กิตติบุญ (Thai Origin) meaning “famous fortune”

49. Kittichat — กิตติชาติ (Thai Origin) meaning “of a famous clan”

50. Kob Sook — กอบสุข (Thai Origin) meaning “heart full of happiness”

51. Kraisee — ไกรศรี (Thai Origin) meaning “lion; brave”

52. Lawan — ลวรรณ (Thai Origin) meaning “beautiful”

53. Makok — มะกอก (Thai Origin) meaning “from Makok” a city in Thailand

54. Malai — มาลัย (Thai Origin) meaning “garland”

55. Malee — มาลี (Thai Origin) meaning “flower”

56. Meeboon — มีบุญ (Thai Origin) meaning “have merit”

57. Mongkhon — มงคล (Thai Origin) meaning “auspicious”

58. Na Chiangmai — ณ เชียงใหม่ (Thai Origin) meaning “descendants of the rulers of Chiang Mai”

59. Narong — ณรงค์ (Thai Origin) meaning “ready for war”

60. Ngam — งาม (Thai Origin) meaning “beautiful”

61. Niran — นิรันดร์ (Thai Origin) meaning “never-ending; everlasting”

62. Noi — น้อย (Thai Origin) meaning “little”

63. Noknoi — นกน้อย (Thai Origin) meaning “little bird”

64. Onsi- อรศรี (Thai Origin) meaning “glory”

65. Paithoon — ไพทูล (Thai Origin) meaning “cat’s eye”

66. Panya — ปัญญา (Thai Origin) meaning “intellect”

67. Phasuk — ผาสุก (Thai Origin) meaning “joyfully”

68. Pravat — ประวัติ (Thai Origin) meaning “historic person”

69. Preedee — ปรีดี (Thai Origin) meaning “joyfully”

70. Ratanaporn — รัตนพร (Thai Origin) meaning “crystal blessing”

71. Rattanakosin — รัตนโกสินทร์ (Thai Origin) meaning “a reference to the royal family of the Chakri Dynasty/the ancient city existed in Thai’s history”

72. Ritthirong — ฤทธิรงค์ (Thai Origin) meaning “good at fighting”

73. Rochana — โรจนะ (Thai Origin) meaning “good with words”

74. Rueng — รุ่ง (Thai Origin) meaning “glory”

75. Saelau — แซ่เล่า (Chinese Origin) meaning “Liu” in Chinese

76. Saengkaew — แสงแก้ว (Thai Origin) meaning “crystal light”

77. Shinwara — ชินวรา (Thai Origin) meaning “does good routinely”

78. Soikham — สร้อยคำ (Thai Origin) meaning “necklace” (with) “gold”

79. Somsri — สมศรี (Thai Origin) meaning “suitable” (with) “honor”

80. Suwannarat — สุวรรณรัตน์ (Thai Origin) meaning “gold” (with) “jewel; gem”

81. Suwan — สุวรรณ (Thai Origin) meaning “gold”

82. Sakda — ศักดิ์ดา (Thai Origin) meaning “powerful person”

83. Sangthong — แสงทอง (Thai Origin) meaning “light of gold”

84. Siriporn — ศิริพร (Thai Origin) meaning “gloriously blessed person”

85. Tham-Boon — ทำบุญ (Thai Origin) meaning “merit-making”

86. Thong Di — ทองดี (Thai Origin) meaning “good gold”

87. Thawan — ตะวัน (Thai Origin) meaning “the sun”

88. Wanchai — วันชัย (Thai Origin) meaning “victory day”

Thai-Chinese Origin Surnames

1. Charoen — เจริญ (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “advance”

2. Kitti — กิตติ (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “undertaking”

3. Kul — กูล (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “family”

4. Le — หลี (Chinese Origin) meaning “joy”

5. Lert — เลิศ (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “brilliance”

6. Panit — พาณิชย์ (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “commerce”

7. Patana — พัฒนา (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “develop”

8. Pitak — พิทักษ์ (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “protect”

9. Pong — พงค์ (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “family”

10. Saeli — แซ่ลี้ (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Li” in Chinese

11. Saelao — แซ่เล่า (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Liu” in Hakka and Chinese

12. Saelim — แซ่ลิ้ม (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Lin” in Hokkien and Chinese

13. Srisuwan — ศรีสุวรรณ (Thai Origin) meaning “splendor” (with) “golden”

14. Tancharoen — ตันเจริญ (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “advance”

15. Wong — วงศ์ (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “family”

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