lastnamegenerators

Chinese Last Names

These Chinese last names are listed with their characters, pinyin spelling and meanings. A few family names such as Wang, Li and Zhang are shared by vast numbers of people, but the list also includes rarer single and compound surnames.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

  • Ai 艾

    Mugwort; artemisia

  • An 安

    Peace; safety

  • Ao 敖

    To ramble; proud

B

  • Ba 巴

    Ancient state of Ba in Sichuan

  • Bai 白

    White; pure

  • Baili 百里

    Hundred li; compound surname

  • Ban 班

    Class; team

  • Bao 包

    To wrap; package

  • Bei 贝

    Shell; treasure

  • Bi 毕

    To finish; complete

  • Bian 卞

    Law; impatient

  • Bie 别

    To part; other

  • Bing 邴

    From the ancient fief of Bing

  • Bo 薄

    Thin; from the ancient state of Bo

  • Bu 卜

    Divination; to foretell

C

  • Cai 蔡

    Tortoise; from the state of Cai

  • Cang 苍

    Dark blue; grey-green

  • Cao 曹

    From the ancient state of Cao

  • Cen 岑

    Small steep hill

  • Chai 柴

    Firewood

  • Chang 常

    Constant; ordinary

  • Chanyu 单于

    Xiongnu ruler title; compound surname

  • Chao 晁

    Dawn; morning

  • Che 车

    Chariot; cart

  • Chen 陈

    To display; from the ancient state of Chen

  • Cheng 程

    Rule; journey; from the state of Cheng

  • Chi 池

    Pond

  • Chong 种

    To plant; seed

  • Chu 楚

    From the ancient state of Chu

  • Chun 淳

    Pure; honest

  • Chunyu 淳于

    From the state of Chunyu; compound surname

  • Cong 丛

    Cluster; thicket

  • Cui 崔

    High mountain; from the fief of Cui

D

  • Da 笪

    Bamboo mat

  • Dai 戴

    To wear; to respect

  • Dan 但

    Only; but

  • Dang 党

    Party; from the Dang region

  • Deng 邓

    From the ancient state of Deng

  • Di 狄

    Northern tribes; ancient people

  • Diao 刁

    Cunning; tricky

  • Ding 丁

    Nail; adult male; fourth heavenly stem

  • Diwu 第五

    Fifth; compound surname

  • Dong 董

    To supervise; to direct

  • Dongfang 东方

    The East; compound surname

  • Dongguo 东郭

    East outer wall; compound surname

  • Dongmen 东门

    East gate; compound surname

  • Dou 窦

    Hole; cave

  • Du 杜

    Birchleaf pear tree; to stop

  • Duan 段

    Section; segment

  • Duanmu 端木

    Upright tree; compound surname

  • Dugu 独孤

    Lone orphan; Xianbei compound surname

E

  • E 鄂

    From the ancient state of E; Hubei

F

  • Fa 法

    Law; method

  • Fan 范

    Mold; model; from the fief of Fan

  • Fang 方

    Square; direction

  • Fei 费

    Expense; from the fief of Fei

  • Feng 冯

    To gallop; from the city of Feng

  • Fu 傅

    Tutor; teacher

G

  • Gan 甘

    Sweet

  • Gao 高

    High; tall

  • Ge 葛

    Kudzu vine

  • Geng 耿

    Bright; upright

  • Gong 龚

    Reverent; respectful

  • Gongliang 公良

    Duke's virtue; compound surname

  • Gongshu 公输

    Compound surname; master craftsman Lu Ban

  • Gongsun 公孙

    Duke's grandson; compound surname

  • Gongxi 公西

    Compound surname; disciple of Confucius

  • Gongyang 公羊

    Duke's ram; compound surname

  • Gongye 公冶

    Duke's smelter; compound surname

  • Gou 苟

    If; careless

  • Gu 顾

    To look after; to care for

  • Guan 关

    Mountain pass; gate

  • Guang 广

    Wide; broad

  • Gui 桂

    Cassia; laurel tree

  • Guliang 谷梁

    Valley bridge; compound surname

  • Guo 郭

    Outer city wall

H

  • Ha 哈

    Hui Muslim surname of Persian origin

  • Hai 海

    Sea

  • Han 韩

    From the ancient state of Han

  • Hang 杭

    Boat; from Hangzhou

  • Hao 郝

    From the ancient fief of Hao

  • He 何

    What; from the state of Han

  • Helian 赫连

    Xiongnu clan name; compound surname

  • Heng 衡

    Balance; to weigh

  • Hong 洪

    Flood; vast

  • Hou 侯

    Marquis; nobleman

  • Hu 胡

    Beard; northern tribes

  • Hua 华

    Splendid; China

  • Huai 怀

    To cherish; bosom

  • Huan 桓

    Pillar; from the fief of Huan

  • Huang 黄

    Yellow

  • Huangfu 皇甫

    Imperial elder; compound surname

  • Hui 惠

    Kindness; benefit

  • Huo 霍

    Suddenly; from the state of Huo

  • Huyan 呼延

    Xiongnu clan name; compound surname

J

  • Ji 姬

    Surname of the Zhou royal house

  • Jia 贾

    Merchant; to trade

  • Jian 简

    Simple; bamboo slip

  • Jiang 蒋

    Wild rice plant; from the state of Jiang

  • Jiao 焦

    Burnt; anxious

  • Jie 揭

    To uncover; to reveal

  • Jin 金

    Gold; metal

  • Jing 景

    Scenery; bright

  • Jisun 季孙

    Youngest grandson; noble clan of Lu

  • Ju 鞠

    To rear; leather ball

K

  • Kan 阚

    To look; from the fief of Kan

  • Kang 康

    Health; peace

  • Ke 柯

    Axe handle; branch

  • Kong 孔

    Opening; clan of Confucius

  • Kou 寇

    Bandit; invader

  • Ku 库

    Storehouse

  • Kuai 蒯

    Rush plant

  • Kuang 邝

    From the Kuang region of Guangdong

  • Kui 隗

    High; lofty

L

  • Lai 赖

    To rely upon

  • Lan 兰

    Orchid

  • Lang 郎

    Gentleman; young man

  • Lao 劳

    Labor; toil

  • Le 乐

    Joy; music

  • Lei 雷

    Thunder

  • Leng 冷

    Cold

  • Li 李

    Plum tree

  • Lian 连

    To connect; to link

  • Liang 梁

    Bridge; beam; from the state of Liang

  • Liao 廖

    Empty; vast; from the state of Liao

  • Lin 林

    Forest

  • Ling 凌

    Ice; to rise above

  • Linghu 令狐

    From the fief of Linghu; compound surname

  • Liu 刘

    Battle-axe; Han dynasty imperial clan

  • Long 龙

    Dragon

  • Lou 娄

    Name of a constellation

  • Lu 陆

    Land; mainland

  • Lü 吕

    Spine; from the ancient state of Lü

  • Luan 栾

    Chinese scholar tree

  • Luo 罗

    Net; from the ancient state of Luo

  • Lüqiu 闾丘

    Gate hill; compound surname

M

  • Ma 马

    Horse

  • Mai 麦

    Wheat; barley

  • Man 满

    Full; Manchu

  • Mao 毛

    Hair; fur

  • Mei 梅

    Plum blossom

  • Meng 孟

    Eldest brother; clan of Mencius

  • Mi 米

    Rice grain

  • Miao 苗

    Sprout; seedling

  • Min 闵

    To sympathize; to mourn

  • Ming 明

    Bright; the Ming dynasty

  • Mo 莫

    Nothing; do not

  • Moqi 万俟

    Xianbei clan name; compound surname

  • Mou 牟

    To seek; to obtain

  • Mu 穆

    Solemn; reverent

  • Murong 慕容

    Xianbei clan name; compound surname

N

  • Na 那

    That; Manchu origin

  • Nan 南

    South

  • Nangong 南宫

    South palace; compound surname

  • Nanmen 南门

    South gate; compound surname

  • Ni 倪

    Small child

  • Nian 年

    Year

  • Nie 聂

    To whisper

  • Ning 宁

    Peaceful; tranquil

  • Niu 牛

    Ox; cattle

  • Nong 农

    Farmer; agriculture

O

  • Ou 欧

    From the Ou region

  • Ouyang 欧阳

    South of Ou mountain; compound surname

P

  • Pan 潘

    Rice-washing water; a river name

  • Pang 庞

    Huge; imposing

  • Pei 裴

    Long flowing robe

  • Peng 彭

    Sound of drums; from the state of Peng

  • Pi 皮

    Skin; leather

  • Piao 朴

    Simple; plain

  • Ping 平

    Peace; level

  • Pu 蒲

    Cattail; rush plant

  • Puyang 濮阳

    From the city of Puyang; compound surname

Q

  • Qi 齐

    Even; uniform; the state of Qi

  • Qian 钱

    Money; coin

  • Qiang 强

    Strong; powerful

  • Qiao 乔

    Tall; lofty

  • Qidiao 漆雕

    Lacquer carver; compound surname

  • Qin 秦

    From the state of Qin; the Qin dynasty

  • Qiu 邱

    Hill; mound

  • Qu 屈

    To bend; to submit

  • Quan 全

    Complete; whole

  • Que 阙

    Watchtower; palace gate

R

  • Ran 冉

    Gradually; slowly

  • Rao 饶

    Rich; abundant

  • Ren 任

    To appoint; responsibility

  • Rong 荣

    Glory; honor

  • Ru 茹

    To eat; vegetable

  • Ruan 阮

    Ancient stringed instrument

  • Rui 芮

    Small; from the state of Rui

S

  • Sa 萨

    Bodhisattva; Mongol and Hui origin

  • Sang 桑

    Mulberry tree

  • Sha 沙

    Sand

  • Shan 单

    Single; from the fief of Shan

  • Shang 商

    Commerce; the Shang dynasty

  • Shangguan 上官

    High official; compound surname

  • Shao 邵

    From the ancient fief of Shao

  • She 佘

    From the She region

  • Shen 沈

    To sink; from the state of Shen

  • Sheng 盛

    Flourishing; abundant

  • Shentu 申屠

    Compound surname of the Shentu clan

  • Shi 石

    Stone

  • Shou 寿

    Longevity

  • Shu 舒

    Relaxed; leisurely

  • Shuai 帅

    Commander; handsome

  • Shuang 双

    Pair; double

  • Shui 水

    Water

  • Shusun 叔孙

    Uncle's grandson; noble clan of Lu

  • Si 司

    To manage; official

  • Sikong 司空

    Minister of works; compound surname

  • Sikou 司寇

    Minister of justice; compound surname

  • Sima 司马

    Minister of war; compound surname

  • Situ 司徒

    Minister of education; compound surname

  • Song 宋

    From the ancient state of Song

  • Su 苏

    Perilla plant; to revive

  • Sui 隋

    The Sui dynasty

  • Sun 孙

    Grandchild; descendant

  • Suo 索

    Rope; to search

T

  • Tai 邰

    From the ancient state of Tai

  • Taishi 太史

    Grand historian; compound surname

  • Taishu 太叔

    Grand uncle; compound surname

  • Tan 谭

    To talk; from the state of Tan

  • Tang 唐

    Grand; the Tang dynasty

  • Tantai 澹台

    Compound surname; disciple Tantai Mieming

  • Tao 陶

    Pottery; ceramics

  • Teng 滕

    From the ancient state of Teng

  • Tian 田

    Field; farmland

  • Tie 铁

    Iron

  • Tong 童

    Child

  • Tou 钭

    Wine ladle

  • Tu 涂

    To smear; road

  • Tuoba 拓跋

    Xianbei royal clan; compound surname

W

  • Wan 万

    Ten thousand; myriad

  • Wang 王

    King; monarch

  • Wei 魏

    From the ancient state of Wei

  • Wen 文

    Literature; culture

  • Weng 翁

    Old man; father

  • Wenren 闻人

    Famous person; compound surname

  • Wo 沃

    Fertile; to irrigate

  • Wu 吴

    From the ancient state of Wu

  • Wuma 巫马

    Shaman horse; compound surname

X

  • Xi 习

    To practice; to study

  • Xia 夏

    Summer; the Xia dynasty

  • Xiahou 夏侯

    Marquis of Xia; compound surname

  • Xian 冼

    To wash; Cantonese surname

  • Xiang 向

    Toward; direction

  • Xianyu 鲜于

    Compound surname of the Xianyu clan

  • Xiao 萧

    Mugwort; desolate

  • Xie 谢

    To thank; from the state of Xie

  • Ximen 西门

    West gate; compound surname

  • Xin 辛

    Bitter; eighth heavenly stem

  • Xing 邢

    From the ancient state of Xing

  • Xiong 熊

    Bear

  • Xu 徐

    Slowly; from the ancient state of Xu

  • Xuan 宣

    To proclaim; to announce

  • Xuanyuan 轩辕

    Chariot shaft; name of the Yellow Emperor

  • Xue 薛

    Wormwood; from the state of Xue

  • Xun 荀

    Herb; from the fief of Xun

Y

  • Yan 阎

    Gate of a lane; from the Yan clan

  • Yang 杨

    Poplar tree

  • Yao 姚

    Handsome; elegant

  • Ye 叶

    Leaf

  • Yi 易

    Change; easy; the Book of Changes

  • Yin 尹

    Governor; to administer

  • Ying 应

    To respond; ought

  • Yong 雍

    Harmonious; from the fief of Yong

  • You 游

    To roam; to swim

  • Yu 于

    At; in; from the state of Yu

  • Yuan 袁

    Long robe; from the Yuan clan

  • Yuchi 尉迟

    Xianbei clan name; compound surname

  • Yue 岳

    High mountain; general Yue Fei

  • Yuezheng 乐正

    Master of music; compound surname

  • Yun 云

    Cloud

  • Yuwen 宇文

    Xianbei clan name; compound surname

Z

  • Zai 宰

    Minister; to govern

  • Zang 臧

    Good; virtuous

  • Zeng 曾

    Formerly; from the state of Zeng

  • Zha 查

    To investigate; to check

  • Zhai 翟

    Long-tailed pheasant

  • Zhan 詹

    To look at; verbose

  • Zhang 张

    To draw a bow; archer

  • Zhangsun 长孙

    Eldest grandson; compound surname

  • Zhao 赵

    From the ancient state of Zhao

  • Zhen 甄

    To discern; to examine

  • Zheng 郑

    From the ancient state of Zheng

  • Zhi 支

    Branch; to support

  • Zhong 钟

    Bell; clock

  • Zhongli 钟离

    From the state of Zhongli; compound surname

  • Zhongsun 仲孙

    Second grandson; noble clan of Lu

  • Zhou 周

    Complete; cycle; the Zhou dynasty

  • Zhu 朱

    Vermilion; red

  • Zhuang 庄

    Village; manor; solemn

  • Zhuansun 颛孙

    Compound surname; disciple of Confucius

  • Zhuge 诸葛

    Compound surname; strategist Zhuge Liang

  • Zhuo 卓

    Outstanding; eminent

  • Zi 訾

    To measure; to assess

  • Zong 宗

    Ancestor; clan

  • Zongzheng 宗政

    Clan minister; compound surname

  • Zou 邹

    From the ancient state of Zou

  • Zu 祖

    Ancestor; grandfather

  • Zuo 左

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Results (6)

  • Cui

    崔

    High mountain; from the fief of Cui

  • Miao

    苗

    Sprout; seedling

  • Fa

    法

    Law; method

  • Shentu

    申屠

    Compound surname of the Shentu clan

  • Song

    宋

    From the ancient state of Song

  • Hou

    侯

    Marquis; nobleman

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    The oldest Chinese surnames and what they mean

    Chinese surnames are among the oldest in the world. In ancient times the nobility used two kinds of family name, the xing, which marked clan descent, and the shi, which marked a branch or fief. The two merged into a single surname by around the Han dynasty, and most families have kept theirs for two thousand years. The Song dynasty primer known as the Hundred Family Surnames (Baijiaxing) taught children to read by listing surnames in rhymed lines.

    Many names have simple meanings. Wang (王) means king, Li (李) plum tree, Zhang (张) to draw a bow, Huang (黄) yellow, Lin (林) forest and Ma (马) horse. Others come from ancient states: Zhao (赵), Zhou (周), Chen (陈) and Wu (吴) were all names of kingdoms or dynasties. The literal meaning is rarely the point, though, since most Chinese people think of their surname as a marker of family and ancestry rather than a word.

    Chinese last names across dialects and countries

    The same character can be spelled very differently depending on dialect and romanization. 陈 is Chen in Mandarin pinyin, Chan in Cantonese, Tan in Hokkien and Teochew, and Tran in Vietnamese. 黄 is Huang in Mandarin, Wong in Cantonese and Ng or Ooi in Hokkien. 林 appears as Lin, Lam and Lim, and 张 as Zhang, Chang, Cheung and Teo. This is why families in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan often spell their names differently from families in mainland China.

    Older Western records used the Wade-Giles system, so you will see Chang for Zhang, Chou for Zhou and Hsu for Xu, especially in Taiwan and in older books. Chinese American families who arrived before the 1970s often came from Cantonese-speaking areas, which is why Wong, Chan, Lee and Chin are more familiar in the United States than Wang, Chen and Li. Choosing the right spelling helps place a character in a specific community and period.

    Compound names, name order and choosing one

    Most Chinese surnames use one character, but a small group use two. Ouyang (欧阳), Sima (司马), Zhuge (诸葛), Shangguan (上官) and Situ (司徒) are real compound surnames, several tied to famous historical figures such as Zhuge Liang, the strategist of the Three Kingdoms period, and Sima Qian, the Han dynasty historian. Sima and Situ began as official titles, for a minister of war and a minister over the people.

    In Chinese the surname comes first, so Wang Fang is a woman whose family name is Wang. Women in mainland China and Taiwan generally keep their own surname after marriage, and children usually take the father's name, though the law allows either parent's. For a character, a common name like Wang or Chen feels ordinary and believable, while a compound name such as Ouyang or Shangguan suggests an old and distinguished lineage.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which Chinese last names are the most common?

    Wang, Li and Zhang are the most common surnames in mainland China, followed by Liu, Chen, Yang, Huang, Zhao, Wu and Zhou. Each of the top three is carried by around a hundred million people, making them some of the largest family names in the world.

    Why are Chinese surnames spelled differently in English?

    Spelling depends on dialect and romanization. Mandarin pinyin gives Chen and Zhang, Cantonese gives Chan and Cheung, and Hokkien gives Tan and Teo. Older Wade-Giles spellings such as Chang and Hsu are still common in Taiwan and among families who emigrated long ago.

    What is a compound Chinese surname?

    It is a surname written with two characters, such as Ouyang, Sima, Zhuge or Situ. They are rare compared with single-character names and often trace back to official titles or ancient place names. In a full name the given name follows, as in Ouyang Xiu, the Song dynasty scholar.

    Do Chinese women change their surname when they marry?

    In mainland China and Taiwan, women normally keep their birth surname. In Hong Kong, some women add their husband's surname before their own in formal settings, a custom from the colonial era. Children usually take the father's surname, though either parent's is legally allowed.

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