Yu Family Name#

Family Name: Yu, Pronunciation: yù

Regions Where the Yu Family Name is Found#

The Yu family name is prevalent in the central part of Henan Province, particularly in Xun County.

Origin of the Yu Family Name#

The origin of the “Yu” family name can be traced to the following possibilities:

1. Taking a state name as the family name: According to “Xing Kao”, there was an ancient state named Yu during the Spring and Autumn period, which was a fiefdom of a high-ranking official of the State of Wu. In Jiaodong, there was a county called Yu Zhi (located in present-day Pingdu County, Shandong Province). It is also possible that the family name originated from a place name.
2. **According to “Yuan He Xing Zuan”: During the Spring and Autumn period, there was a man named Yu Huang (also known as Yu Gong) who served as a minister in the State of Lu, and his descendants also adopted the Yu family name.

Distribution of the Yu Family Name

In the Song Dynasty’s compilation of the “Hundred Family Names”, the Yu family name was ranked 181st. It is now a relatively rare surname. However, it is still found in various regions, including Beijing, Wuqing in Tianjin, Nangong, Wei County, Qinghe, Shangyi, and Jing County in Hebei Province, Changle, Pingyi, Junan, and Hedong in Shandong Province, Wuhai in Inner Mongolia, Chongren in Jiangxi Province, Wuchuan in Guangdong Province, Longchuan in Yunnan Province, Wuxi and Lushui in Jiangsu Province, and other places. Both the Han and Zhuang ethnic groups have this surname.

Notable People with the Yu Family Name

Yu Dafu (December 7, 1896 – September 17, 1945): Originally named Yu Wen, with childhood names Yinsheng and Afeng, he was from Fuyang, Zhejiang. He was a renowned modern Chinese novelist, essayist, and poet. His notable works include “Chen Lun” (Sinking), “Gu Du De Qiu” (Autumn in the Old Capital), “Chun Feng Chen Zui De Wang Shan” (A Night Drunk in the Spring Breeze), “Guo Qu” (The Past), and “Chi Gui Hua” (Late Chrysanthemums).