The Le Family Name#

Family Name: Le, Pronunciation: Yuè

Distribution of the Le Family Name#

Nanyang Commandery, Henan Province.

Origin of the Le Family Name#

The origin of the "Le" family name can be traced back to several sources:

1. Derived from the Zi surname: It originated from Gongzi ?b, the son of Duke Dai of Song during the early Spring and Autumn period. Gongzi ?b, whose courtesy name was Lefu, passed on the "Le" surname to his descendants, which led to two branches of the Le family. One branch was led by Yifu Xu. According to records in "Xing Zuan" and "Ji Ju Pian," Yifu Xu took the courtesy name of his grandfather, Lefu, as his own surname. The correct pronunciation of the Le surname derived from the Zi surname is Yuè (ㄩㄝ?A).
2. Derived from the Ji surname: It originated from descendants of Le Wangfu, a high-ranking official of the Jin state during the Spring and Autumn period. The correct pronunciation of this branch of the Le family name is also Yuè (ㄩㄝ?A).
3. Derived from an official title: It originated from the official position of "Le Zheng" during the early Western Zhou period. The correct pronunciation of this branch of the Le family name is Yuè (ㄩㄝ?A).
4. Derived from a place name: It originated from the city of Lewangyi in the夜郎 kingdom during the early Han dynasty. The correct pronunciation of this branch of the Le family name is Yuè (ㄩㄝ?A).
5. Derived from a famous anti-Jin general from the Southern Song dynasty: Some members of Yue Fei's family changed their surname to avoid persecution.
6. Derived from the Mongolian ethnicity: Some Mongolians adopted the Chinese surname after assimilation.

Ancestor of the Le Family Name

Gongzi ?b is considered the ancestor of the Le family name. The Le family, which originated in the state of Song during the Spring and Autumn period, shares the same lineage as those who later adopted the surname Song. The state of Song was founded by Weizi, the elder brother of King Zhou of Shang. This territory was originally granted to Wugeng, but Wugeng rebelled during the reign of King Cheng of Zhou and was later suppressed. King Cheng granted the area east of Qiuxian County in Henan Province and west of Tongshan County in Jiangsu Province to Weizi, making him the highest-ranking nobleman of the state of Song to worship the ancient Shang dynasty. Later, descendants of Duke Dai of Song adopted the courtesy name of their ancestor as their surname, thus creating the "Le" family name. The state of Song, which held a prestigious position, was eventually conquered by the states of Qi, Wei, and Chu in 286 BC. Therefore, the Le family name in China has a history of at least 2200 years. It is well-deserved to say that the Le family has a long and prestigious heritage. Gongzi ?b is revered as the ancestor of the Le family name.

Migration and Distribution

The Le family name has not made it into the top 100 most common surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan. This once prominent surname in early Chinese history appeared around 3000 years ago during the Spring and Autumn period. The Le family, originating from the state of Song, is related to those who later adopted the surname Song. The state of Song was founded by Weizi, the elder brother of King Zhou of Shang. The Le family name has a rich history of over 2200 years. According to "Xing Zuan" and "Tang Shu · Zai Xiang Shi Xi Bai," the Le family name stems from the Zi surname. During the reign of King Xuan of Zhou, Duke Dai of Song had a son named Gongzi Yan, whose courtesy name was Lefu. One of Gongzi Yan's descendants, Le Ying, served as the chief prosecutor of the state of Song. His descendants adopted the character "Le" from his name as their surname. Another record in "Xing Zuan" states, "Descendants of the Zi family, including Duke Dai, had a son named Yan, whose courtesy name was Lefu, and their descendants adopted the character 'Wang' as their surname." The Le family became a prominent clan in Nanyang Commandery, Henan Province, and is known as the "Nanyang Wang" (a prestigious clan from Nanyang).

Famous People with the Le Surname**#

Le Yi: A famous military general from the state of Yan during the Warring States period, originally from Lingshou (now in Lingshou County, Hebei Province). In 284 BC, he led a coalition of five states, including Yan, in an attack on the state of Qi, capturing more than 70 cities. This victory is a famous example of a weaker party defeating a stronger one in ancient Chinese warfare. His military strategies and political ideas had a significant impact on both his time and later generations.