The Ding Clan#

Surname: Ding, Pronunciation: dīng

Regions Where the Ding Clan Is Found**#

The Ding clan is predominantly found in the areas around Lankao County, Henan Province, and Dingtao County, Shandong Province.

Origin of the Ding Clan**#

The current population of the Ding clan exceeds 4.7 million, making it the 48th most common surname in China, accounting for approximately 0.38% of the national population.

Origins of the Ding Surname:

There are four main origins of the Ding surname:

1. From the Jiang surname: According to historical records such as "Yuanhe Xingzuan," "Wanxing Tongpu," and "Tongzhi·Shizhu Lue," Jiang Taigong's son, Chang, was posthumously titled "Ding Gong of Qi," and his descendants adopted this title as their surname.

2. From descendants of the Marquis Ding: The Marquis Ding was a vassal of the Shang Dynasty. When King Wu of Zhou launched a campaign against King Zhou of Shang, the Marquis Ding was defeated by Zhou, and his descendants scattered across various regions, continuing to use the surname Ding.

3. From the Zi surname: During the Zhou Dynasty, the remnants of the Shang Dynasty were granted land in the state of Song (located in present-day eastern Henan, as well as parts of Shandong and Anhui). The descendants of a local ruler named Song Dinggong adopted the name "Ding" as their surname.

4. From other surnames that were changed, or from ethnic minorities who adopted the Ding surname through grants or other means.

Population Growth of the Ding Clan:

Over the past 600 years (since the Ming Dynasty), the population of the Ding clan has increased from 400,000 to over 4.7 million, a growth of nearly 12 times. This growth rate is slower than the national population average. The distribution of the Ding clan has primarily focused on Jiangsu, Hubei, Anhui, and Henan, which together account for approximately 37% of the total Ding clan population. Other significant populations are found in Guizhou, Liaoning, Hunan, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Jiangxi, which make up another 30%. Jiangsu Province has the largest Ding clan population, accounting for 13% of the total.

Notable Figures with the Ding Surname:

• Ding Wei: From Changzhou, Suzhou (present-day Jiangsu). He served as a senior advisor to Emperor Zhenzong of the Northern Song Dynasty and later became prime minister, being granted the title of Duke of Jin. His story of restoring the capital is considered a model of strategic planning in ancient times.

• Ding Dexing: (1327–1366) From Dingyuan (now part of Anhui). He joined Zhu Yuanzhang's army in the late Yuan Dynasty and was known for his military prowess. He played a key role in various battles and was later promoted to the rank of Left Wing Marshal.