129 Thai Last Names With Meanings And History

Perhaps you have noticed that Thai surnames tend to be quite short and want to learn more.

Thai last names also have little variation and if you research the last name of a family that did not marry into other ethnicities, you find only about 100 purely Thai language last names. The variety in the last names of those of Thai heritage comes from the influences of Chinese culture or from marrying into various Arab countries.

The uniqueness of last names from Thailand stems from a 1913 law that no two people could take the same last name. King Rama VI decreed that all permanent residents of the country, then called Siam, must adopt a last name. Until that year, Thai people did not use surnames, but after this they all had to choose their unique last name. For this reason, you will not find many popular Thai last names.

If you see a shorter name of two-syllables or less, chances are it belongs to someone whose family was native to Thailand around the turn of the 20th century. Longer names are more likely to belong to immigrants honoring both countries and wishing to differentiate themselves from others in their clan or family line who remained in their home country. For this reason, some Thai family names do not translate easily or at all to English but do translate to Chinese.

If you move to Thailand, you must have a unique last name to become a permanent resident or citizen. You might marry a Thai citizen and take your spouse’s name or if a single person, you need a unique name in Thailand. The Thai probably all consider their last name “cool,” but if you want a name for a fictional character or to use a unique name while playing an online game or role-playing game, you might consider Anurak, the name of an angel in Thai mythology.

For more Thai naming inspiration, why not take a look at these Thai girl names and Thai boy names?

One advantage to the recent creation of last names in Thailand is that all Thai surnames and meanings remain clear. Each family selected theirs to express what was important to them and since they chose them, the name speaks to the ancestral way of thinking.

1. Adulyadej (Thai Origin) meaning "incomparable power"

2. Ananada (Thai Origin) meaning “prosperous one”

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

4. Anurak (Thai Origin) meaning “an angel" in Thai mythology

5. Aromdee (Thai Origin) meaning “rare”

6. Asnee (Thai Origin) meaning “lightning”

7. Ayutthaya (Thai Origin) meaning “unconquerable or invincible” and stemming from a royal family whose reign lasted from 1350 to 1767

8. Anchali (Thai Origin) meaning “greeting”

9. Amarin (Thai Origin) meaning “undying”

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

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

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

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

14. Ambhom (Thai Origin) meaning “sky”

15. Bannarasee (Thai Origin) meaning “lotus flower”

16. Bho (Thai Origin) meaning “Bhodi tree”

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

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

19. Boonya (Thai Origin) meaning “virtue”

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

21. Bui (Chinese Origin) meaning "dweller, farmer, peasant"

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

23. Busarakha (Thai Origin) meaning “sapphire of yellow”

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

25. Chaidee (Thai Origin) meaning "kind"

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

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

28. Chaiya (Thai Origin) meaning “victory”

29. Chaisai (Thai Origin) meaning “victory”

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

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

32. Chakrii (Thai Origin) meaning “king”

33. Channarong (Thai Origin) meaning “experienced warrior”

34. Charoensuk (Thai Origin) meaning "to prosper, to develop, to increase (with) delight"

35. Chevapravadumrong (Thai Origin) meaning “"biography (with) to sustain"

36. Chokdee (Thai Origin) meaning "lucky"

37. Chongrak (Thai Origin) meaning "loyal"

38. Chuahirun (Thai Origin) meaning “unknown”

39. Daeng (Thai Origin) meaning "red"

40. Du (Chinese Origin) from the place name in Shaanxi province, China

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

42. Gop (Thai Origin) meaning "frog"

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

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

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

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

47. Khuat (Thai Origin) from the third letter of the Thai alphabet Kho Khuat

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

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

50. Kob Sook/Kob-Sook (Thai Origin) meaning “heart full of happiness”

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

52. Lawan (Thai Origin) meaning “beautiful”

53. Mah (Thai Origin) meaning "dog"

54. Makok (Thai Origin) meaning “from Makok” a town in Thailand

55. Malee (Thai Origin) meaning “flower”

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

57. Moo (Thai Origin) meaning "pig"

58. Na Chiangmai (Thai Origin) meaning "descendants of the rulers of Chiang Mai"

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

60. Ngam (Thai Origin) meaning "beautiful"

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

62. Noi (Thai Origin) meaning "bird"

63. Noknoi (Thai Origin) meaning "little bird"

64. Omni (Thai Origin) meaning “all”

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

66. Paśú (Sanskrit Origin) meaning "beast"

67. Pravat (Thai Origin) meaning “historic person”

68. Preedan (Thai Origin) meaning “joyful”

69. Purás (Sanskrit Origin) meaning "in front"

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

71. Rattanakosin (Thai Origin) a reference to the royal family of the Chakri Dynasty

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

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

74. Rueng (Thai Origin) meaning “glory”

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

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

77. Shinawatra (Thai Origin) meaning "does good routinely"

78. Soikham (Thai Origin) meaning "necklace" (with) "gold"

79. Somsri (Thai Origin) "suitable" (with) "honor"

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

81. Suwan (Thai Origin) meaning “gold”

82. Sakdan (Thai Origin) meaning “powerful person”

83. Sanouk (Thai Origin) named after an enjoyable festival of the same name

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

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

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

87. Trubbaya (Thai Origin) meaning “treasure”

88. Uan (Thai Origin) meaning "fat"

Many people immigrated from China to Thailand who had the same surname which meant they had to alter it when they arrived. This means you see many versions of the same last name in this family names list.

89. Charoen (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “advance”

90. Kitti (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “undertaking”

91. Kul (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “family”

92. Le (Chinese Origin) meaning "joy"

93. Lert (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “brilliance”

94. Panit (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “commerce”

95. Patana (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “develop”

96. Pham (Chinese Origin) meaning "bee"

97. Pitak (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “protect”

98. Pong (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “family”

99. Saeli (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Li” in Chinese

100. Saeli (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Liu” in Hakka and Chinese

101. Saelim (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Lin” in Hokkien and Chinese

102. Srisuwan (Thai Origin) meaning “splendor" (with) "golden"

103. Wong (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “family”

Although there really cannot exist uncommon Thai last names since they all qualify as unique, those of mixed origin could be considered rarer Thai surnames. Take a look at these beautiful Thai names with mixed origins.

104. Bhongam (Thai-Sanskrit Origin) meaning “beautiful tree of enlightenment”

105. Bongkhalong (Thai-Lao Origin) meaning “unknown”

106. Boonya (Sanskrit-Thai Origin) meaning “virtue”

107. Diep (Vietnamese Origin) meaning "flower; beautiful"

108. Lang (Chinese/Old Norse Origin) meaning "dragon; tall one"

109. Lee (Thai- Vietnamese-Khmer-Lao-Filipino-Tagalog-Malay-Indonesian Origin) meaning “Li” in Chinese

110. Rattana (Thai-Khmer Origin) meaning "gem jewel"

111. Subdee (Thai-Sanskrit Origin) meaning “treasure good”

112. Sethi (Thai-Indian-Odia-Hindi-Punjabi-Urdu Origin) meaning “head of a guild or mercantile”

113. Sethi (Thai-Indian-Odia-Hindi-Punjabi-Urdu Origin) meaning “head of a guild or mercantile”

114. Saelee (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Li” in Chinese

115. Saeliew (Thai-Hakka-Chinese Origin) meaning “Liu” in Chinese

116. Saeng (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Wu” in Chinese

117. Saetae (Thai-Hokkien-Chinese Origin) meaning “Zheng” in Chinese

118. Saetan (Thai-Hokkien-Chinese Origin) meaning “Chen” in Chinese

119. Saetang (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Tang” in Chinese

120. Saetiao (Thai-Chinese-Hokkien Origin) meaning “Zhang” in Chinese

121. Saeyang (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Yang” in Chinese

122. Sayelau (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Liu” in Chinese

123. Sayetan (Thai-Chinese-Hokkien Origin) meaning “Chen” in Chinese

124. Saeueng (Thai-Chinese-Hakka Origin) meaning “Huang” in Chinese

125. Sayetang (Thai-Chinese Origin) meaning “Tang” in Chinese

126. Trubdee (Thai-Sanskrit Origin) meaning “treasure good”

127. Thakur (Thai-Sanskrit Origin) meaning "master of the estate"

128. Tripuri (Kokborok Origin) meaning of the Tripuri peoples or region of India

129. Xiāng (Chinese Origin) meaning from the Xiāng River area

Kidadl has lots of great name articles to inspire you. If you liked our suggestions for Thai last names and their meanings then why not take a look at these Haitian surnames, or for something different take a look at these royal surnames from around the world.