The Wang Family#

Surname: Wang, pronounced as “wāng”

Distribution of the Wang Family#

Linfen County, Shanxi Province

Origin of the Wang Family#

The surname “Wang” has the following origins:

1. It originated from the Wang Mang clan. According to “Tongzhi – Shizhu Lue – Yiming Shi,” the Fangfeng clan was known as the Wang Mang state during the Shang Dynasty, with its former location east of present-day Wukang County, Zhejiang Province. Over time, this clan simplified its name to Wang.
2. Another origin relates to the Ji (Ji) surname; the name was derived from a local place name. During the Spring and Autumn period, a concubine of Duke Huan of Lu was named Man, and she was granted a fief in Wang (located in present-day Shandong Province). Her descendants adopted the name “Wang” as their surname.
3. Another theory suggests that a concubine of Duke Cheng of Lu was granted a fief in Wang, and her descendants also took the surname Wang.

Migration and Distribution
During the Pre-Qin period, the Wang family was primarily active in Zhejiang, Henan, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Shandong. From the Han Dynasty through the Tang Dynasty, their main areas of activity were Anhui, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu, where they became prominent local families. After the Tang Dynasty, the Wang family began to spread to Henan, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, the Four Guang provinces (Guangdong, Guangxi, Guangsha, and Hainan), and Fujian. The Wang family first arrived in Taiwan during the early Qing Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, there were approximately 470,000 people with the surname Wang, accounting for about 0.6% of the national population, ranking 32nd in prevalence. Anhui Province had the largest number of Wang family members, accounting for about 53% of the total. The majority of the Wang family lived in Anhui and Jiangxi, which together accounted for 77% of the total population. Other significant populations were found in Zhejiang and Henan.

During the Ming Dynasty, the Wang family numbered around 620,000 people, ranking 28th in prevalence. The national population grew by 20% during the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, while the Wang family’s population increased more rapidly. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Wang family’s distribution was centered around Anhui, with significant populations also in Anhui, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi (accounting for 75.7% of the total). Other regions with significant populations included Hubei and Sichuan (11%).

In modern times, the Wang family has a population of nearly 4.3 million, ranking 56th in prevalence nationwide, accounting for about 0.34% of the total population. Over the past 600 years (from the Ming Dynasty to the present), the Wang family’s population has increased by more than sevenfold, although at a slower rate than the overall national population growth. The current distribution is mainly concentrated in Anhui and Hubei (about 42% of the total), followed by Zhejiang, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and Yunnan (29%). Anhui remains the province with the largest Wang population, accounting for about 30% of the total. The distribution pattern shows a gradual decline in population density away from Anhui towards the west.

Notable Individuals with the Surname Wang

• Wang Ang (1615–1695): A renowned physician from Xiumen, Anhui, who wrote several influential medical texts, including “Suling Leizuan Yuezhu,” “Yifang Jijie,” “Bencao Beiyao,” and “Tangtou Gejue.”
• Wang Shiduo (1814–1889): A famous historian and geographer from Jiangning, Jiangsu. He wrote works such as “Wang Meicun Xianshi Ji,” “Yibing Riji,” “Meiweng Bini,” and “Shuijing Zhuzhu Tu.”
• Wang Shishen (1689–1759): A painter and calligrapher from Shexian, Anhui, who lived in Yangzhou and was one of the “Eight Eccentrics of Yangzhou.”