Trace the Roots of Every Chinese Family Name

The Qiao Clan, originating from Shaanxi, has multiple possible origins including the Ji Clan, a noble Hunnic clan, and the Xianbei people. Its surname evolved from "Qiao" during the Northern Wei. Historically distributed in Shaanxi, Hunan, and Jiangsu, the clan later migrated to Henan, Zhejiang, Yunnan, and beyond, now ranking as China's 96th most common surname.

Ranked #278

The Yin surname, originating from the Ji surname and ancient fiefs, is historically linked to the Nanyang and Shiping commanderies. It does not rank among the top 100 surnames in China or Taiwan and has multiple origins, including descendants of Emperor Yao and ethnic minorities.

Ranked #279

The Xu surname, with origins tracing back to the Yan Emperor and the Jin state's Xu Chen, historically flourished in Wuxing and Langya commanderies. It spread throughout China during the Song and Ming dynasties, renowned for its members' military and literary achievements.

Ranked #280

The Neng clan, originating from the Chu state's royal family during the Zhou Dynasty, descends from Xiong Zhi. To avoid persecution, his descendants changed their surname to Neng, with the clan later settling and becoming prominent in the Taiyuan area.

Ranked #281

The Cang Clan, originating from Wuling Commandery, traces its ancestry to ancient figures like Canglin and Cangshu, with possible origins in official titles or the legendary Cangjie. It is a historically significant, though not populous, surname in China.

Ranked #282

The Shuang surname, originating from Tianshui, has dual roots: descendants of Emperor Zhuanxu from the Xia Dynasty and historical ethnic minorities. It is not among China's top 100 surnames and includes notable hall names like "Heyi Tang" from the Song Dynasty.

Ranked #283

The Yu surname originated from four main sources, including Yu the Great's teacher and ancient states/places, and merged from two distinct clans due to Chinese character simplification, with some members descending from ethnic minorities.

Ranked #283

The surname Wen, originating from the compound surname Wenren, traces back to Shaozheng Mao of the Spring and Autumn period. Its ancestral home is Wuxing Commandery, and the surname's history involves debated accounts of Confucius's alleged execution of Shaozheng Mao.

Ranked #284

The Xin surname, pronounced "shēn", is an ancient Chinese family name originating from Tianshui, Gansu, with multiple theories tracing its lineage to the Xia Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Rong, or the ancient state of Xin, and has been used for over 4,600 years.

Ranked #285

The Dang surname, pronounced "dǎng," has multiple origins including descent from Xia Dynasty's King Yu, noble fiefs in Shangdang, and the ancient Dangxiang Qiang people. Historically centered in Fengyi, Shaanxi, it is now found across China, with notable figures like Song Dynasty's Dang Jin, and is associated with hall names like Zhongwutang.

Ranked #286

The Zhai clan, with origins in ancient tribes and states like Kui and Qi, primarily distributes in Ruanan and Nanyang. It spread from northern China during the Zhou Dynasty, expanding southward through history, with notable branches and ancestral halls like Chuanshi and Chongwei.

Ranked #287

The Tan surname, with origins in ancient China including ethnic minorities and state names, is China's 67th most common surname with ~8.7 million people. Historically concentrated in Hunan, its distribution has spread, now primarily found in Hunan, Guangdong, and Sichuan.

Ranked #288

The Gong surname, pronounced "gòng", originates from Confucius's disciple Zigong (Duanmu Ci). It began in Guangping Commandery, Hebei. Descendants adopted his courtesy name "Gong" as their surname, forming a lineage known for loyalty, scholarship, and commerce, with a distinct ancestral hall culture.

Ranked #289

The Lao surname originated from Laoshan, Shandong during the Western Han Dynasty, historically spreading around the Bohai region with ancestral roots in Wuyang Commandery, and is not among China's top 100 surnames.

Ranked #290

The ancient Pang surname, originating from Pang Boling, son of the Yan Emperor, is prevalent in Shandong and Anhui. It has multiple origin theories from the Shang, Xia, and Spring and Autumn periods, with family mottos celebrating figures like Pang Meng and Pang Choufu who upheld integrity.

Ranked #291

The Ji surname, one of China's oldest, originates from the Yellow Emperor who lived by the Ji River. Its prominent clans resided in Nanyang, and while it was the royal surname of the Zhou Dynasty, its prevalence decreased as descendants adopted state names or changed it to Zhou to avoid imperial name taboos.

Ranked #292

The Shen clan, an ancient Chinese surname with 2800 years of history, originated from the Shen state in Henan. Descendants of Bo Yi spread across Wei, Langya, and Danyang commanderies, producing notable figures throughout Chinese history from the Spring and Autumn period onward.

Ranked #293

The Fu clan, an ancient Chinese surname, originated over 4000 years ago from minister Fudeng of the Xia Dynasty and Jingzhao/Henan commanderies, with later branches emerging when Wu Jia was granted the surname for serving the Han dynasty.

Ranked #294

The Dou Clan surname originated from the fief of Dǔ granted to official Kǒu Bo in Zheng during the Spring and Autumn Period. Descendants adopted the place name, with ancestral roots in Henan and a key distribution in Hedong. It is a pure lineage descending from the Ji clan, with ancestor Dǔ Shū revered for its establishment.

Ranked #295

The Ran surname, originating from the ancient state of Ran and descendants of the Zhou royal family, spread from Shandong to ancestral regions like Donglu, Wuling, and Wei Jun, with notable migrations throughout Chinese history and branches among various ethnic groups.

Ranked #296