The E Family Name#

Family Name: E, Pronunciation: è

Distribution of the E Family Name#

The E family name originates from the Wuchang Commandery. In 221 AD, during the Three Kingdoms period, Sun Quan of the Wu state divided the territories of Jiangxia, Yuzhang, and Luling to establish the Wuchang Commandery, which was later renamed Jiangxia Commandery. During the early Tai Kang era of the Jin dynasty, it was renamed Wuchang Commandery again. This region corresponds to the area from Wuhan in Hubei Province to Jiujiang in Jiangxi Province today.

Origins of the E Family Name#

There are six theories regarding the origin of the E family name:

1. The E family name comes from the state of E, where the descendants of the Yellow Emperor were enfeoffed in the state of E (located north of present-day Nanyang, Henan Province), which was a vassal state during the Xia and Shang dynasties. At the end of the Shang dynasty, the Marquis of E served as a high-ranking official in the court, alongside the Marquis of Xi and the Marquis of Jiu, collectively known as the "Three Dukes." When King Zhou of Shang took a fancy to the daughter of the Marquis of Jiu and married her, the daughter refused to indulge in the king's immoral behavior. In a fit of rage, King Zhou killed both the marquis and his daughter and turned them into meat paste. The Marquis of E, outraged by the unjust death, challenged the king, but was also killed. His descendants adopted the name of the state as their surname.

2. The E family name also derives from the Ji surname, with the name of a specific town (E Yi) being used as the surname. During the Spring and Autumn period, Yuan Hou of Jin was enfeoffed in E Yi (present-day Xianning County, Shanxi Province), and his descendants adopted the name of that town as their surname.

3. Another theory suggests that the E family name comes from the Ji surname, with the name of a place (E) being used as the surname. According to historical records, a nobleman from Jin named Jia Fu defected to the state of E during the Spring and Autumn period and took the name of the state as his surname.

4. The E family name may also originate from the Mi surname, with the name of a state being used as the surname. According to the "Records of the Grand Historian: The House of Chu," during the reign of King Yi of Zhou, Xiong Qu of Chu declared himself king and enfeoffed three of his sons as kings, one of whom, Xiong Zhihong, was granted the state of E (present-day Echeng, Hubei Province), and his descendants adopted the name of the state as their surname.

5. Some believe the E family name is a derivative of the Yue surname, stemming from Yue Fei, a national hero of the Southern Song dynasty. After Yue Fei's death, his fourth and fifth sons fled to the south of the Yangtze River and avoided using the Yue surname. A branch of his descendants settled in Huangmei County (Hubei Province) and adopted the title "E Fei" as their surname.

6. Among the seven tribes of the Ba Commandery, there was also the E clan.

Distribution of the E Family Name

The E family name does not rank among the top 100 most common surnames in mainland China or Taiwan. It originated from the state of E during the late Shang and early Zhou dynasties and is a surname derived from the name of a state. It is said that the descendants of the Yellow Emperor were enfeoffed in the state of E, which was a vassal state during the Xia and Shang dynasties. The Marquis of E was a prominent official during that time, but he offended King Zhou and was killed along with his entire family for standing up for the Marquis of Jiu's unjust death. His descendants then adopted the name of the state as their surname.

Hall Names (Tang Hao)

One of the hall names associated with the E family name is "Anping Hall," which honors E Qianqiu from the Han dynasty, who made significant contributions to establishing the Han dynasty. When Emperor Gaozu of Han was awarding titles to his meritorious officials, it was difficult to determine their order of precedence. E Qianqiu suggested that Xiao He, who had served commendably during the conquest of the vassal states, deserved the top honor. Emperor Gaozu agreed and appointed E Qianqiu as the Marquis of Anping. Other common hall names for the E family include "Jinxian Hall."

Common Couplets for E Family Ancestral Halls

Four-Character Couplets for E Family Ancestral Halls

• Originating from the state of E; Renowned in Wuchang. (This couplet refers to the family name's origins and its historical associations.)
• Merits deserving high rewards; Descendants of a marquis. (This couplet highlights the family's noble ancestry.)

Six-Character Couplets for E Family Ancestral Halls

• A pioneer of Manchu literature; A founding hero of the Han dynasty. (This couplet honors E Mu Tu, a scholar and poet from the Qing dynasty.)
• Receiving rewards for recommending the worthy; Acknowledging the contributions to supplying troops in the Guanzhong region. (This couplet acknowledges the role of E Qianqiu in the establishment of the Han dynasty.)

Seven-Character Couplets for E Family Ancestral Halls

• Receiving the rewards for recommending the worthy from Emperor Gaozu of Han; Recognizing the contributions to supplying troops in Guanzhong. (This couplet emphasizes the family's historical contributions.)