全姓
The Quan surname, originating from Zhou Dynasty officials or place names, later included Qing royalty. It spread from Shaanxi's Jingzhao area, with key settlements in Qiantang, Zhejiang, becoming a notable clan, especially during Eastern Wu, though not among China's top 100 surnames.
The Quan Family
Family Surname: Quan, pronounced as “quán”
Distribution of the Quan Family
The Quan family originated from the Jingzhao Commandery, which was directly under the jurisdiction of the capital Chang’an and is located in the area between present-day Xi’an and Huaxian, Shaanxi Province.
Origins of the Quan Family Name
There are three theories regarding the origin of the Quan surname:
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Derivation from an official title: During the Western Zhou Dynasty, some officials held positions related to the management of currency and market trade, known as the “Quan Fu” (Quan Office). According to the “Jiuqi Ting Ji · Quan Shi Shi Pu” (Collection of Jiuqi Ting · Genealogy of the Quan Family), the Quan surname originated from these officials. Since the term “Quan” was also used to refer to coins in ancient times, the descendants of these officials adopted this title as their surname. As “Quan” and “quan” have the same pronunciation, some later changed it to “Quan.”
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Derivation from a place name: There was a place called Quan in ancient times (the exact location is unknown); residents there adopted the name of the place as their surname.
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Descendants of the Aisin Gioro Prince during the Qing Dynasty: Some members of this royal family changed their surname to Quan.
Family Hall Names
The Quan family also has two traditional hall names: “Suinan Tang” (Suinan Hall) and “Qianhou Tang” (Qianhou Hall). During the Three Kingdoms period, Quan Cong was given a large quantity of rice by his father to sell at the market; he used all of it to help the poor. Quan Cong later became a military officer, served as the governor of Donghai, was granted the title of Marquis of Qiantang, and ultimately held the position of Grand Marshal and Left Military Advisor.
Migration and Distribution
The Quan surname does not rank among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. It originated from the “Quan Fu” officials of the Zhou Dynasty, with descendants adopting the official title as their surname. According to the “Jiuqi Ting Ji · Quan Shi Shi Pu,” the Quan family descended from these officials. The “Qianjia Xing Zhaoyuan” (Research on the Origins of Common Surnames) suggests that the Quan office was responsible for managing trade, and its officials adopted the name “Quan” as their surname due to the similarity in pronunciation between “quan” and “Quan.” The Quan ancestors settled in Qiantang, Zhejiang, during the Han Dynasty and became a prominent clan there. By the time of the Eastern Wu kingdom, they had spread throughout the region. The prominent status of the Quan family is also reflected in their residence in the Jingzhao Commandery (east of present-day Chang’an, Shaanxi Province).