The Gong Family Name#

Gong (pronounced: gōng)

Distribution of the Gong Family Name#

Kuocang County: Kuocang County was established during the Sui Dynasty and is located in present-day Lishui City, Zhejiang Province. The name “Kuocang” originates from a mountain; according to records such as “The Tale of Gratitude and Enmity of Kuocang Mountain,” the mountain was originally named “Gucang” because it was covered with Gucang trees, which made it look lush and green. In the ninth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (589 AD), the area east of Songyang County in Lishui City was separated to form Gucang County. During the Tang Dynasty, the region surrounding Gucang Mountain was known as “Kuocang County” or “Guzhou.” However, in the fourteenth year of the Dali era (779 AD), the name was changed to “Chuzhou” to avoid the taboo associated with the name of Emperor Dezong of Tang, Li Shi (whose name contained the character “Kuo,” which was considered inappropriate due to its strong and autocratic connotations).

Mengyin County: This county was named after its location in the shadow of Meng Mountain. During the Zhou Dynasty, it was known as Mengyi, Tangfu, or Aiyi and was part of the states of Lu and Qi. It was initially established during the Western Han Dynasty and was under the jurisdiction of Yanzhou Taishan Commandery. After Wang Mang seized power, it was renamed Mengen County. In the early Eastern Han Dynasty, it belonged to the cities of Gai and Mou. During the Three Kingdoms period, the state of Wei re-established Mengyin County, which was then part of Xuzhou Langya Commandery. At the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, it was abandoned due to wars. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Northern Wei established Xintai County in this area, which was under the jurisdiction of Nanqingzhou Dong'an Commandery. The county remained under Xintai County's jurisdiction during the Sui, Tang, and Five Dynasties periods, for a total of 712 years. In the third year of the Jingding era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1262 AD), Mengyin was incorporated into Yishui County and became known as Xintai Town. In the second year of the Huangqing era of the Yuan Dynasty (1313 AD), Mengyin County was re-established and placed under the jurisdiction of Juzhou, along its current location.

Origin of the Gong Family Name#

The origin of the “Gong” family name is simple: it stems from the Ji surname, which dates back to ancient times. During the Zhou Dynasty, Duke Ding of Lu granted the titles of “gong” (duke) to two of his brothers, named Gongyan and Gongwei. Their descendants adopted these titles as their family names and passed them down through generations.

Migration and Distribution#

The Gong family name does not rank among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. It originates from the Ji surname. In the late Spring and Autumn period, power in the state of Lu fell into the hands of three prominent noble families: the Jisun, Mengsun, and Shusun families, turning the ruler of Lu into a puppet. Duke Zhao of Lu attempted to overthrow these families while they were fighting among themselves but was defeated along with his brothers Gongyan and Gongwei. The descendants of Gongyan and Gongwei thus adopted the surname “Gong.”

The Gong family name has spread across various regions, although it does not rank among the top 100 most common surnames in China or Taiwan.