The Yu Family#

Surname: Yu, pronounced as “yú”

Regions Where the Yu Surname Is Found#

• Xin'an Commandery: In the first year of Tai Kang during the Jin Dynasty (208 AD), it was renamed Xin'an Commandery, with its administrative center located in Shixin (now west of Chun'an). This region corresponds to the area west of Chun'an, Zhejiang, as well as the Xin'an River basin in Anhui and Qimen.
• Xiaopi Commandery: In the 15th year of Yongping during the Eastern Han Dynasty (72 AD), it was renamed Linhuai Commandery. The administrative center was located in Xiaopi (now northwest of Juning, Jiangsu), with its territory extending north to Xinyi and Pixian in Jiangsu, south to Jiashan in Anhui, and east to Lianshui, Huai'an, and Jingjiang in Jiangsu. It was later reclassified as a commandery during the Southern Song Dynasty.
• Wuxing Commandery: Established in the first year of Baoding during the Three Kingdoms period of Wu (266 AD), with its administrative center in Wucheng (now south of Wuxing, Zhejiang). This region roughly corresponds to the areas of Linan, Yuhang, and Deqing in Zhejiang, as well as Yixing County in Jiangsu.

Origins of the Yu Surname#

1. According to “Fengsu Tong,” the Yu surname originated from the descendants of You Yu, who lived in Shezhou for generations and were a prominent family in Xin'an, with their influence extending to Xiaopi and Wuxing. During the Spring and Autumn period, there was a minister named You Yu from the Qin state. His ancestors had fled to the Xirong tribes due to chaos. You Yu served as an official in the Xirong tribe but later went to the Qin state on a mission. Impressed by the virtue and generosity of Duke Mu of Qin, he stayed and served there, helping Duke Mu conquer the Xirong. His descendants adopted his name as their surname; some took the form “You,” while others took “Yu,” both descending from the same ancestor.
2. Another theory suggests the Yu surname originated from the Chidi tribe and is a branch of the Kui surname. According to “Guoyu,” the surnames Lu, Luo, Quan, Yu, and Man all belong to the Chidi-Kui lineage.
3. Some believe the Yu surname evolved from the Tiemu family, descendants of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty. The Tiemu family had a minister who, due to false accusations, fled to Guizhou with his five sons. When the emperor's troops chased them, one of the sons noticed ripples in the river and suggested that there were fish in it. The emperor, without further investigation, urged the pursuit to continue. After escaping, the brothers decided to change their surname from Tiemu to Yu.

Migration and Distribution

The character for “Yu” lacks one horizontal stroke compared to the character for “gold” and also sounds like the Chinese character for “fish” (yu), creating a play on words. Historically, the Yu surname was predominantly found in the south. Its earliest origin is likely in the Fengxiang to Xianyang area of Shaanxi. The exact migration patterns are unclear due to a lack of records. During the Han Dynasty, the Yu family moved to She County in Anhui, where they settled and thrived. After the Han Dynasty, the Yu surname spread throughout both the north and south of China, although its presence was weaker in the north. Many Yu people moved to Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Jiangxi. During the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Yu family became prominent in the Xin'an Commandery area. Due to wars in the north, some Yu people migrated to Hunan and Hubei. The Yu surname began to grow rapidly during the Tang Dynasty, forming two prominent families in the southeast. Its spread to Fujian and Guangdong began at the end of the Tang Dynasty and during the Song Dynasty. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Yu surname was widespread throughout the south, and it also developed significantly in the north.

Hall Names (Tanghao)

• Qingyan Hall: Yu Yuanyi from the Song Dynasty was a favorite student of Zhu Xi and was known for his emphasis on benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, and the five cardinal relationships (ren, yi, li, zhi, xin).
• Zhonghui Hall: Yu Tianxi was a tutor for the prime minister Shi Miyuan during the Song Dynasty. When the Prince of Yi had no heirs, Tianxi found a virtuous child from the royal family to adopt as his son; this child later became Emperor Lizong of Song. After Emperor Lizong's reign, Tianxi was granted the title of Duke of Fenghua and was posthumously honored with the title “Zhonghui.”

Genealogies

• Shandong: Five volumes of the Si Shui Yu family genealogy and one volume of additional records.
• Jiangsu: Four volumes of the Zhenjiang Jingjiang Yu family genealogy and four volumes of the Zhenjiang Yu family genealogy.
• Zhejiang: Three volumes of the Chunan Suian Xijianfengnan Yu family genealogy, one volume of the Xiangshan Fengbei Yu family genealogy, twelve volumes of the Changxing Mayuan Yu family genealogy, ten volumes of the Shaoxing Kuaiji Yu family branch genealogy, and seven volumes of the Changshan Yu family genealogy.
• Anhui: Various volumes of the Yu family genealogy; the Huizhou Xin'an Yu family genealogy (unclassified); thirty volumes of the Xiuning Yushaoxian Hall genealogy; thirty volumes of the Qianshan Yu family genealogy (with one introductory volume).
• Fujian: Unclassified Anxi Yu family genealogy; the Chaole Yu family genealogy (without volume information).