The Guo Clan#

Surname: Guo, pronounced as guō

Distribution of the Guo Clan#

Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province; Xihua Yin County; Xida Li County

Origins of the Guo Clan#

The Guo clan is the 18th most common surname in China, with a large population, accounting for approximately 1.1% of the Han Chinese population nationwide.

Origins of the Surname “Guo”#

1. From the Legend of Yu the Great: It is said that Yu the Great had two guards named Guo Ai and Guo Zhi, who are among the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Guo. According to “Xing Shi Kao Lue,” during the Xia dynasty, there was Guo Zhi (mentioned in “Bao Pu Zi”), and during the Shang dynasty, there was Guo Chong (mentioned in “San Jing Yi”). This indicates that the Guo surname existed as early as the Xia dynasty, over 4,000 years ago.
2. Derived from the Jiang Surname: Some families adopted the surname “Guo” based on their place of residence. As recorded in “Feng Su Tong Yi,” surnames could be derived from locations such as cities (cheng), outer walls (guo), gardens (yuan), or ponds (chi).
3. Linked to the Ji Surname: In ancient times, the characters “guo” and “guo” (meaning different things) were often interchangeable; therefore, the Guo clan may have originated from the Ji surname.
4. From Other Surnames: Some families changed their surnames over time. For example, during the Later Liang dynasty, someone named Cheng Na changed to the Guo surname; during the Later Jin dynasty, Guo Jin Hai, a member of the Turkic people, changed to the Han surname; and during the Later Zhou dynasty, Guo Wei, originally from the Chang family, changed his surname to Guo after living with the Guo family.
5. From the Ancient State of Guo: The Guo clan also has origins in the ancient state of Guo.
6. Korean Guo Clan: The Korean Guo clan originated from the Han Chinese population.

Migration and Spread#

The ancestral home of the Guo clan was likely in present-day Henan, Shanxi, and Shaanxi provinces. During the Pre-Qin and Han dynasties, the Guo clan mainly thrived in Shanxi and Shaanxi. The “Taiyuan” region became an important center for the clan's expansion, giving rise to prominent families in Yangqu, Fengyi, Huayang, Jingzhao (near present-day Xi’an, Shaanxi), Zhongshan (now in Hebei), Pengcheng (now in Jiangsu), Guantao (now in Hebei), Quwo (now in Shanxi), Henei, Guangping, Handan, Hedong Wenxi, and Dunhuang. During the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, many Guo people moved south to avoid wars, settling in Zhejiang and Jiangsu, with the Taiyuan branch being particularly prominent. In the Sui and Tang dynasties, the Guo surname became the most common in Shanxi and Shandong. In addition to wars, the Guo clan also spread to Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Hubei. During the Song and Yuan dynasties, the Guo clan from Huayin (led by Guo Ziyi) established a prominent family in Fenyang (around present-day Jingle, Shanxi). Later, some descendants of the Fenyang Guo clan moved to Fujian. From the Five Dynasties to the Song and Yuan dynasties, the invasion of the Jin army and the Mongol forces forced the Guo clan to migrate south again, spreading them throughout China. At the end of the Ming dynasty and the beginning of the Qing dynasty, some Guo people moved to Taiwan, where they became one of the ten most prominent surnames. Some also migrated to Europe, America, and Southeast Asia. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Guo clan was widespread throughout the country.

Today, the Guo clan is most prevalent in Henan, Hebei, Shandong, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces, with these five provinces accounting for about 46% of the national Han Chinese Guo population. The Guo clan is the 16th most common surname in China, with a population of about 1.1% of the total Han Chinese population.

Notable People with the Surname Guo#

• Guo Pu: From Wenxi, Hedong (now in Shanxi Province), he was a literary figure and scholar of the Eastern Jin dynasty, known for his works such as “You Xian Shi” and “Jiang Fu.” He also annotated classics like “Er Ya,” “Mu Tian Zi Chuan,” “Shan Hai Jing,” and “Chu Ci.”
• Guo Shoujing: From Xingtai, Shunde (now in Hebei Province), he was a renowned literary figure, hydraulic engineer, astronomer, and mathematician of the Yuan dynasty. He compiled the “Shou Shi Li,” which was in use for 360 years, making it the longest-lasting calendar in Chinese history.
• Guo Moruo (1892–1978): Originally named Guo Kaizhen and also known as Guo Dingtang and Shang Wu, he used various pseudonyms such as Wu Cheng and Ding Ruchang. He was a writer, poet, playwright, historian, archaeologist, paleographer, calligrapher, and a prominent national leader and social activist.