The Fu Family#

Surname: Fu, pronounced as “fù”

Distribution of the Fu Family#

• Qinghe County, Shandong Province
• Linqing County, Shandong Province
• Gaotang County, Shandong Province
• Beidi, Gansu Province

Origin of the Fu Family#

There are five theories regarding the origin of the Fu surname:

1. The surname derived from descendants of Fu Yue, a renowned advisor to the Shang Dynasty. According to historical records such as “Records of the Grand Historian: The Shang Annals” and “General Records of Clan Origins,” during the reign of King Wuding of the Shang Dynasty, the state was in decline. Fu Yue was discovered in a place called Fuyan (now southeast of Pinglu, Shanxi Province). He helped King Wuding to rejuvenate the country by implementing reforms and promoting virtue, leading to great peace and prosperity. His descendants adopted the name of their residence as their surname, thus forming the Fu lineage.
2. The surname originated from the Ji clan, descendants of the great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor, Dayou. Dayou was granted the fief of Fuyi, and his descendants took the name of the fief as their surname.
3. The surname also originated from the Qi clan, descendants of Danzhu, a son of the Yellow Emperor. This is mentioned in the “Discourses of the States.”
4. The surname originated from the Yao clan, descendants of Emperor Shun. There was an ancient state called Fuguo (the site of which is now south of Zaozhuang, Shandong Province), and the descendants of Emperor Shun adopted the name of the state as their surname.
5. Some members of the Lai clan changed their surname to Fu to escape persecution. According to the “Lai Clan Genealogy,” the Lai clan was persecuted by King Ling of Chu, prompting them to change their surname to Luo or Fu, leading to the saying that the Lai, Luo, and Fu clans are related.

Ancestral Founder of the Fu Family: Fu Yue

After King Pangeng moved the capital of the Shang Dynasty to Yinxu, the dynasty only experienced a brief period of prosperity. When King Wuding ascended the throne, the state’s power was very weak. Wuding sought a capable minister to help reform the government but could not find one. One night, he dreamed of a sage named Fu Yue, who suggested practical strategies for governing the country. Wuding had Fu Yue summoned and appointed him as prime minister. Under Fu Yue’s leadership, the Shang Dynasty saw rapid development in politics, economics, military affairs, and culture. King Wuding reigned for 59 years, and with Fu Yue’s assistance, the dynasty reached its zenith. Fu Yue is considered the ancestral founder of the Fu surname.

Migration and Spread During the Pre-Qin period, the Fu family gradually spread to northern Henan and southern Shanxi. During the Qin and Han dynasties, Fu Kuan followed Emperor Gaozu of Han in his conquests and was granted the title of Marquis of Yangling. He later served as prime minister of the Han Dynasty, and the Fu family’s influence extended to Shandong. With the assimilation of other ethnic groups, the Fu surname became widespread in Gansu, Ningxia, and Sichuan. By the Western Jin Dynasty, the Fu family had migrated north to Hebei and south to Jiangsu, crossing the Yangtze River to reach Zhejiang. During the Ming Dynasty, the Fu family was present in Fujian. By the Qing Dynasty, they had also entered Taiwan. In the Song Dynasty, there were approximately 290,000 people with the Fu surname, accounting for 0.38% of the national population, with Jiangxi being the most populous province for this surname (about 20%). The main distribution areas were Jiangxi, Shandong, Hebei, Fujian, and Henan, accounting for 75% of the total Fu population. Other significant populations were found in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Sichuan, and Shanxi.

Over the centuries, the distribution of the Fu family has shifted, with a significant migration from the north to the south. In modern times, the Fu family has a population of 4.5 million, ranking 53rd in the country, accounting for about 0.36% of the national population. The population growth rate of the Fu family has been slower than the national average. The main distribution areas today are Hunan, Anhui, Sichuan, and Henan, with other significant populations in Hebei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and other provinces.

Notable Figures with the Fu Surname

• Fu Yi (around 47–92 AD), a literary figure from Fufeng Maoling (now northeast of Xingping, Shaanxi Province), wrote poems to criticize society and express his ideals.
• Fu Xuan (217–279 AD), a philosopher and literary figure from Beidi (now Yao County, Shaanxi Province), considered one of the most learned members of the Fu family. His works, including “Fu Zi,” hold an important place in the history of Jin literature. He was posthumously granted the title of Marquis of Qingquan.