The He Surname#

Surname: He, pronounced as “hé”

Distribution of the He Surname**#

Ruan County, Henan Province; Xiaoshan County, Zhejiang Province

Origins of the He Surname#

The He surname has three main origins:

1. Derivation from an official title: The He surname originated from descendants of the Zhurong clan, specifically from Chongli. During the reign of Emperor Yao of the Tang dynasty, Chongli’s descendant Xi He held the position of overseeing the seasons and the natural world. His descendants took pride in their ancestor’s official title and named their surname after him, thus forming the He clan. According to “Tongzhi·Shi Zhu Lue,” “Xi He was in charge of the seasons and the natural world during the Yao dynasty; his descendants, He Zhong and He Shu, adopted his name as their surname.”

2. Origin from the Bian clan: This branch of the He surname comes from the State of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period. There was a person named Bian He, a famous jade craftsman who became famous for discovering a piece of unpolished jade in the Jing Mountains. Some of Bian He’s descendants later adopted his name as their surname.

3. Change from another surname: Another origin of the He surname is from the Later Wei dynasty. According to “Tongzhi·Shi Zhu Lue,” “During the Later Wei dynasty, the Su He clan changed their surname to He.”

Migration and Distribution

The He surname is not among the top 100 most common surnames in either mainland China or Taiwan. It has a long history. According to legend, during the ancient times, there were officials named He Zhong and He Shu who were in charge of astronomy and governance. In an agricultural society, understanding the seasons was crucial, making this a highly prestigious position, which led to the establishment of the He surname. Another branch of the He clan originated from Bian He of the State of Chu, who discovered the He Shi Bi (a famous jade artifact). His descendants took pride in this achievement and adopted his name as their surname. Additionally, during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Su He clan of the Xianbei people from the Northern Wei dynasty moved to Luoyang and adopted the Han surname “He.” The He surname became a prominent family in the Dai region, known as the “Dai Jun Wang” (a respected family from Dai).

Notable People with the He Surname:

• He Shikai: From Qingdu, Linzhang, Northern Qi dynasty. His ancestors were merchants from the Western Regions, originally surnamed Su He. He was initially selected as a student at the imperial academy and later served as an advisor to Prince Changguang. Skilled in martial arts and the pipa, he was highly favored by Emperor Wucheng, who promoted him to various positions. He advised the emperor to delegate state affairs to his ministers and indulge in entertainment, which pleased the emperor. Later, he advised the emperor to abdicate in favor of the crown prince and was appointed to various high-ranking positions. He was eventually killed by Prince Gao Yan of Langya.

• He Ning: From Xuchang, Yanzhou (present-day Dongping, Shandong province) during the Five Dynasties period. He was known for his literary talents and was renowned for his short poems and love for promoting young scholars. He authored several collections of poems and lyrics, including “Hong Ye Gao” and “Xiang Li Ji.” His works include 100 poems about the palace and lyrics collected in “Hua Jian Ji,” as well as “Yi Yu Ji” co-authored with his son.