The Bao Family Name#

Family Name: Bao, pronounced as “bào”

Regions Where the Bao Family Name Is Found#

• Shangdang County, Shanxi Province
• Donghai County, Shandong Province
• Taishan County, Shandong Province
• Henan County, Henan Province

Origin of the Bao Family Name#

The origin of the “Bao” family name can be traced to two main sources:

1. Some descend from the “Si” family name and adopted it as their surname based on the name of a state. According to “Yuanhe Xing Zuan” and “Tongzhi. Shizu Lue,” during the Spring and Autumn Period, a descendant of Yu the Great from the Xia dynasty, named Jing Shu, served in the state of Qi and was granted the fiefdom of Baoyi, from which the family name “Bao” was derived. His son, Bao Shuya, and his great-grandson, Bao Guo, served as high-ranking officials for generations.
2. Another origin is related to a Xianbei tribal surname that was adapted into the Chinese character “Bao.” According to “Wei Shu. Guanshi Zhi,” during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, a Xianbei clan with the surname “Silifa” moved to Luoyang with Emperor Xiaowen of Wei and adopted the Han Chinese surname “Bao.” Another Xianbei clan with the surname “Baozu” also adopted this surname.

Ancestral Figure of the Bao Family Name

Bao Shuya, the son of Jing Shu, a descendant of Yu the Great, was a high-ranking official in the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period. His father, Jing Shu, was granted the fiefdom of Baoyi, and Bao Shuya began using this as his family name. In his youth, Bao Shuya was close friends with Guan Zhong. Despite Guan Zhong’s poverty and elderly mother, Bao Shuya often helped him, forming a lifelong friendship. When Duke Xiang of Qi misgoverned, Guan Zhong fled to Lu with Prince Jiu, while Bao Shuya followed Prince Xiaobai to Ju. After Duke Xiang was killed, Prince Xiaobai returned to Qi and became the ruler, intending to appoint Bao Shuya as his prime minister. However, Bao Shuya advised Duke Huan to release Guan Zhong from imprisonment and let him take his place. The friendship between Bao Shuya and Guan Zhong is a well-known story in Chinese history. Descendants of the Bao family regard this virtuous ancestor as the founder of their surname.

Migration and Distribution

During the Pre-Qin period, the Bao family name was relatively unknown, with most members living in the Shandong region. By the Song dynasty, there were approximately 81,000 people with the Bao surname, accounting for 0.11% of the national population, ranking 132nd in popularity. The province with the highest concentration of Bao descendants was Anhui, accounting for about 30% of the total Bao population. The family name was mainly distributed in Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Shandong, and Jiangsu. By the Ming dynasty, the number had decreased to about 84,000 people, ranking around 150th in popularity, with the main concentrations in Zhejiang and Anhui (accounting for 66% of the total Bao population). Zhejiang was the most populous province for the Bao family during the Ming dynasty, accounting for 43% of the total population. The family name also spread to Shaanxi, Jiangsu, and Shandong.

Today, the Bao family name has approximately 670,000 members, accounting for 0.054% of the national population, ranking 179th in popularity. Over the past millennium since the Song dynasty, the growth rate of the Bao population has been declining. The Bao family is now mainly distributed in Zhejiang, Shandong, Qinghai, and Jiangsu, with these four provinces accounting for 46% of the total Bao population. The remaining 23% are distributed in Hubei, Anhui, Hebei, and Henan. Zhejiang remains the most populous province for the Bao family, with 15% of the total population. The distribution of the Bao family is centered around Zhejiang, Anhui, and Jiangsu in the east, and Qinghai in the west.

A chart showing the distribution of the Bao family name shows that in certain areas (see Figure 179), the proportion of Bao descendants exceeds 0.26% of the local population, with the highest concentrations in the eastern part of Qinghai, western Gansu, western and eastern Inner Mongolia, northwestern and eastern Heilongjiang. These areas cover approximately 12.2% of the country’s total area and account for about 30% of the Bao population.

Notable Figures with the Bao Family Name

• Bao Zhao: A literary figure and poet from the Southern Song dynasty, born in Donghai (present-day Lianshui, Jiangsu Province). His works, mostly Yuefu poems about border wars and soldiers, had a significant influence on later generations. His famous poem “Ni Xinglu Nan” expresses strong indignation towards society. He is known for his collection of poems titled “Bao Shenjun Ji.”
• Bao Shuya: A high-ranking official in the state of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period, known for his ability to recognize talent. He was friends with Guan Zhong in his youth and followed Prince Xiaobai to Ju during a time of chaos in Qi. After Duke Xiang was killed, the two men supported different candidates for the throne; when Prince Xiaobai (later Duke Huan) succeeded, Bao Shuya advised Duke Huan to appoint Guan