Chinese Surnames

LIN - Chinese Surname Lin2 - Lim, Lin, Ling, Lam

2009-04-15T09:27:00.007+08:00

LIN Chinese Surname

Also Spelt As:
Lin2 - Hanyu Pinyin Mandarin Romanisation
Lim - Hokkien or Teochew Chinese Dialect
Lam - Cantonese Chinese Dialect
Ling - Foochow Chinese Dialect
Liem - Indonesian Chinese
Lin, etc.

Simplified Chinese Character:
林

Traditional Chinese Character:
林

One of the 10 most common Chinese surnames in the world.

The Chinese surname "Lin" is made up of the character "Woods" (as in the jungle or forest) in the Chinese language. This surname is normally referred to as "Shuang Mu4 Lin2" because the character is made up of a pair of wood radical.

CHEN - Chinese Surname Chen2 - Tan, Chan, Chin, Ting

2009-01-15T09:31:00.005+08:00

CHEN Chinese Surname

Also Spelt As:
Chen2 - Hanyu Pinyin Mandarin Romanisation
Tan - Hokkien or Teochew Chinese Dialect
Chan - Cantonese Chinese Dialect
Chin - Hakka Chinese Dialect
Ting - Foochow Chinese Dialect
Chen, etc.

Simplified Chinese Character:
陈

Traditional Chinese Character:
陳

One of the 10 most common Chinese surnames in the world.

The Chinese surname "Chen" is made up of the character "To Display; Old or Stale" in the Chinese language. This surname is normally referred to as "Er3 Dong Chen2" because the character is made up of the "Er" radical on the left hand side and the "Dong" (east) character on the right hand side.

HUANG - Chinese Surname Huang2 - Ng, Wong, Ooi, Wee, Bong

2008-11-15T09:36:00.007+08:00

HUANG Chinese Surname

Also Spelt As:
Huang2 - Hanyu Pinyin Mandarin Romanisation
Ng - Teochew Chinese Dialect
Ooi / Wee - Hokkien Chinese Dialect
Wong - Cantonese Chinese Dialect
Bong - Hakka Chinese Dialect
Huang, Hwang, etc.

Simplified Chinese Character:
黄

Traditional Chinese Character:
黃

One of the 10 most common Chinese surnames in the world.

The Chinese surname "Huang" is made up of the character "Yellow" (color) in the Chinese language. This surname is normally referred to as "Da4 Du3 Huang2" in order to differentiate it from the "San Hua4 Wang2" surname.

About Chinese Surnames, Their Origins And Related Information

2008-09-27T11:56:00.000+08:00

About Chinese Surnames, Their Origins And Related Information / Stories / Resources.

YANG - Chinese Surname Yang2 - Yeo, Yong, Yeoh, Yoong, Yeong, Yung

2007-07-16T22:17:00.007+08:00

YANG Chinese Surname

Also Spelt As:
Yang2 - Hanyu Pinyin Mandarin Romanisation
Yeo / Yeoh - Hokkien or Teochew Chinese Dialect
Yong / Yeong - Cantonese Chinese Dialect
Jong - Hakka Chinese Dialect
Yeung, Yung, Yoong, etc.

Simplified Chinese Character:
杨

Traditional Chinese Character:
楊

One of the 30 most common Chinese surnames in the world.

This surname Chinese surname "Yang" is normally referred to as "Mu4 Yi4 Yang2" because the character is made up of a "Mu4" (wood) Chinese character on the left and a 'Yi4" (easy) Chinese character on the right.

WANG - Chinese Surname Wang2 - Wang, Wong, Ong

2007-01-15T14:40:00.005+08:00

WANG Chinese Surname

Also Spelt As:

Wang2 - Hanyu Pinyin Mandarin Chinese Romanisation

Wang - Teochew Chinese Dialect

Wong - Cantonese Chinese Dialect

Ong - Hokkien or Hainanese Chinese Dialect

Vuong, Woong, etc.

Simplified Chinese Character:
王

Traditional Chinese Character:
王

One of the 10 most common Chinese surnames in the world.

The Chinese surname "Wang" is made up of the character "King" in the Chinese language. This surname is normally referred to as "San Hua4 Wang2" in order to differentiate it from the "Da4 Du3 Huang2" surname.

XIE - Chinese Surname Xie4 - Cheah, Sheah, Tse, Chia, Shia, Tjia

2006-07-17T01:43:00.009+08:00

XIE Chinese Surname

Also Spelt As:
Xie4 - Hanyu Pinyin Mandarin Romanisation
Sheah / Sia - Hokkien or Teochew Chinese Dialect
Tse - Cantonese Chinese Dialect
Cheah - Hainanese Chinese Dialect
Tjia - Indonesian Chinese
Shia, etc.

Simplified Chinese Character:
谢

Traditional Chinese Character:
謝

One of the 50 most common Chinese surnames in the world.

The Chinese surname "Xie" is made up of the character "Xie" (thanks) in the Chinese language.

LIU - Chinese Surname Liu2 - Liu, Lau, Low, Liew

2006-01-15T14:34:00.003+08:00

LIU Chinese Surname

Also Spelt As:

Liu2 - Hanyu Pinyin Mandarin Chinese Romanisation

Lau / Low - Teochew Chinese Dialect

Lau - Cantonese Chinese Dialect

Liu, Liew, etc.

Simplified Chinese Character:
刘

Traditional Chinese Character:
劉

One of the 10 most common Chinese surnames in the world.

MA - Chinese Surname Ma3 - Beh, Mah

2005-07-18T13:13:00.004+08:00

MA Chinese Surname

Also Spelt As:

Ma3 - Hanyu Pinyin Mandarin Chinese Romanisation

Beh - Hokkien or Teochew Chinese Dialect

Ma / Mah - Cantonese Chinese Dialect

Mha, etc.

Simplified Chinese Character:
马

Traditional Chinese Character:
馬

One of the 50 most common Chinese surnames in the world.

The Chinese surname "Ma" is made up of the character "Ma3" (horse) in the Chinese language.

Other than being a general Chinese surname among the Han Chinese majority, the "Ma" surname is also a common surname among Chinese Muslims in Yunnan and Xinjiang in China. In fact, the world famous Chinese diplomat, navigator, voyager, explorer and trader, Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho) of the Ming Dynasty, was originally named "Ma3 He2" but had his surname changed to "Zheng4" as an honour bestowed by the Ming emperor for victories and great merits (accomplishments) in battles. Yes, Admiral Zheng He was a Muslim from Yunnan.

ZHANG - Chinese Surname Zhang - Teo, Teoh, Cheong, Chong, Tiong, Chang

2005-01-15T09:50:00.006+08:00

ZHANG Chinese Surname

Also Spelt As:

Zhang - Hanyu Pinyin Mandarin Chinese Romanisation

Teo / Teoh - Teochew Chinese Dialect

Cheong - Cantonese Chinese Dialect

Chong - Hakka Chinese Dialect

Tiong - Foochow Chinese Dialect

Choong, Chung, Zhang, Chang, etc.

Simplified Chinese Character:
张

Traditional Chinese Character:
張

One of the 10 most common Chinese surnames in the world.

The Chinese surname "Chen" is made up of the character "To Open; Spread" in the Chinese language. This surname is normally referred to as "Gong Chang2 Zhang" because the character is made up of the "Gong" (bow) character on the left hand side and the "Chang" (long) character on the right hand side.

About Chinese Surnames

2004-10-10T13:34:00.002+08:00

There are hundreds of Chinese surnames in the world. According to sinologists, historians, and other experts on history of China and Chinese culture, there were are many as 500+ Chinese surnames that have ever been around in the last few thousand years in the middle kingdom (China) and Chinese communities worldwide. As of today in the 21st century, some Chinese surnames are no longer being used and there are no more living descendants of these "extinct" surnames.

On the other hand, among the hundreds of Chinese surnames, around 100 of them are the most common. Out of these 100 most common Chinese surnames, these are among the top 10:

Zhang (could be spelt differently as Chang, Teo, Teoh, Tiong, Cheong, etc.)
Lin (could be spelt differently as Lim, Ling, etc.)
Huang (could be spelt differently as Wong, Ng, Bong, Ooi, Wee, etc.)
Liu (could be spelt differently as Lau, Low, Liew, etc.)
Wang (could be spelt differently as Wong, etc.)
Chen (could be spelt differently as Tan, Chan, Ting, etc.)
Yang (could be spelt differently as Yeo, Yeoh, Yong, Yeong, etc.)
Li (could be spelt differently as Lee, etc.)
Zhao (could be spelt differently as Chiew, Chiw, etc.)
Yue (could be spelt differently as Yap, Yip, etc.)

The top 10 most common Chinese surnames can be found all over the world and among the most widely passed down and spreaded family names from China. Anywhere in the world that you can find a Chinese community, you will come across these 10 most common Chinese surnames.

The surname (or known as family name, clan name, last name) is very important to a Chinese. All over the world where there are Chinese, you will always be able to find Chinese clan associations that are based on localities (ancient prefectures among current provinces in China, eg. Kwangtong Associations), dialects groups (eg. Hokkien Association, Cantonese Associations, etc.) and especially clan associations based on Chinese surnames, eg. the Lee Association, the Yap Association, etc.

The surname is so important that traditionally (and unfortunately) the Chinese prefer sons to daughters because the former are the ones who will "carry on" the family name where as the later will take on the husband's surname when they are married off. It was quite common in the old days for the sons of poor peasant families to "marry into" rich households that did not have any sons. Due to poverty and hardships, these peasant sons were forced to endure much humiliation and put up with all sorts of indignities because any children born out of these marriages will carry the surname of the wife's family instead of instead.

As to the origins of Chinese surnames, many "original" or "root" surnames were created around 2000 - 3000 years ago. But the bulk of the Chinese surnames we currently have around were "officially" created around 1000-1500 years ago in China and many actually "branched" out from the earlier ones or "merged" with one another. Very often, one original Chinese surname would "branch out" into 2 - 3 new ones, and even as many as 5 - 6.

Some surnames are created out of names of places. Some surnames are created out of official ranks in the courts of the emperors. Some surnames are bestowed by a king or emperor on a favourite prince, victorious general, loyal minister, patriotic poet, etc. as a great honour. On the hand there are also Chinese surnames created as "punishments" to shame the whole family and clan for generations to come.

Among the many and varied Chinese surnames, here are some of the ones that the emperors of the most illustrious dynasties of China used to carry:

The Chinese surname of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty of China (1368 AD - 1644 AD): Zhu
The Chinese surname of the emperors of the Song Dynasty of China (960 AD - 1279 AD): Zhao
The Chinese surname of the emperors of the Tang Dynasty of China (618 AD - 907 AD): Li
The Chinese surname of the emperors of the Han Dynasty of China (Circa 206 BC - 220 AD): Liu

Yes, as you can see, many emperors of China were from among those who carried the most common Chinese surnames.