Ji Family Name#

Family Name: Ji, Pronunciation: jì

Distribution of the Ji Family Name#

Qufu, Shandong; Shouxian, Anhui

Origin of the Ji Family Name#

The Ji family name ranks 116th among the most common family names in China, with a significant population, accounting for approximately 0.13% of the Han population nationwide.

Origins of the Ji Family Name:#

1. Derived from the Ji surname, originating from Ji Zha, a member of the noble family of the State of Wu during the Spring and Autumn period. His name was derived from his position within the family hierarchy. Ji Zha was the fourth son of King Shoumeng of Wu and the brother of Ji Zufan. He was granted fiefs in Yanling and Zhoulai, and is historically known as “Yanling Ji Zi” or “Yanzhoulai Ji Zi.” His descendants adopted his name as their family surname to distinguish them from other clans, passing it down through generations.
2. Also derived from the Ji surname, originating from Ji You, a high-ranking official of the State of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period. His name was directly taken from his ancestral name.
3. Derived from the Mi surname, originating from Ji Lian, a descendant of the ancient emperor Zhuanxu. This lineage also took its name from the name of its ancestor.
4. Derived from the order of birth among siblings, where the name “Ji” reflected the position of a child in the family hierarchy. According to historical records, the order of siblings in ancient times was “Bo, Zhong, Shu, Ji.”
5. During the Tang Dynasty, the Ji family name evolved from a military title in the Western Zhao region.
6. Some Ji families originated from the Mongolian ethnic group during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, as a result of cultural assimilation.
7. Some Ji families originated from other minority ethnic groups, also through cultural assimilation.

Migration and Distribution:#

The origins of the Ji family name are diverse. In ancient times, there were individuals named Ji Zhong and Ji Li; it is unclear whether these were family names or simply indications of sibling order. During the late Shang Dynasty, Ji Li, the father of King Wen of Zhou, clearly represented a sibling position in the family hierarchy.同时 period with Ji Zha, there was Ji You, the prime minister of Lu. His descendants, including Ji Sun Xingfu (also known as Ji Wenzhi), Ji Sun Su (Ji Wuzi), Ji Sun Yiru (Ji Pingzi), and their descendants, further established the Ji family name. During the Western Han Dynasty, notable individuals with the Ji surname included Ji Bu and Ji Xin from the state of Chu. In the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the Ji family name was not prominently mentioned in historical records. However, according to “Junwang Baijiaxing” and “Xingsheng Kaolue,” the Ji family name was associated with regions such as Lu, Shouchun, and Bohai, indicating its former prosperity in these areas. Due to social upheaval before the Sui and Tang Dynasties, many Ji families migrated to the south. During the Tang Dynasty, the Ji family name remained strong in Shouchun. In the Song Dynasty, the Ji family name became more prevalent in the south, with Jiangsu and Zhejiang becoming major settlements. During the war-torn period between the Song and Yuan Dynasties, some Ji families moved to Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, and Hubei. In the early Ming Dynasty, Ji families from Shanxi were relocated to Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Hunan, and Hubei as part of the Hongtong Dahuaishu migration program. The Ming and Qing Dynasties saw the Ji family name flourish in Jiangsu and Zhejiang due to their prosperity. According to “Ming and Qing Jinshi Timing Beilu,” a total of 31 Ji individuals passed the imperial examinations during these two dynasties, with the largest number (17) from Jiangsu (including Shanghai).

Notable People with the Ji Family Name:#

Ji Xianlin: A scholar from Linqing, Shandong, renowned professor, literary translator, and expert in Indian and Buddhist studies. He was fluent in Sanskrit and Tocharian languages and is considered a great scholar of his time. He authored the “Ji Xianlin Wenji” (Collected Works of Ji Xianlin).