Jump to content

List of common Chinese surnames

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

These are lists of the most common Chinese surnames in China (People's Republic of China), Taiwan (Republic of China), and the Chinese diaspora overseas as provided by authoritative government or academic sources. Chinese names also form the basis for many common Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese surnames and to an extent, Filipino surnames in both translation and transliteration into those languages.

The conception of China as consisting of the "old 100 families" (Chinese: 老百姓; pinyin: Lǎo Bǎi Xìng; lit. 'Old Hundred Surnames') is an ancient and traditional one, the most notable tally being the Song-era Hundred Family Surnames (Chinese: 百家姓; pinyin: Bǎi Jiā Xìng). Even today, the number of surnames in China is a little over 4,000,[1] while the year 2000 US census found there are more than 6.2 million surnames altogether[2] and that the number of surnames held by 100 or more Americans (per name) was just over 150,000.[3]

The Chinese expression "Three Zhang Four Li" (simplified Chinese: 张三李四; traditional Chinese: 張三李四; pinyin: Zhāng Sān Lǐ Sì) is used to mean "anyone" or "everyone",[4] but the most common surnames are currently Wang in mainland China[5] and Chen in Taiwan.[6] A commonly cited factoid from the 1990 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records estimated that Zhang was the most common surname in the world,[7] but no comprehensive information from China was available at the time and more recent editions have not repeated the claim. However, Zhang Wei (张伟) is the most common full name in mainland China.[8]

The top five surnames in China – Wang, Li, Zhang, Liu, Chen – are also the top five surnames in the world, each with over 70-100 million worldwide.

Greater China

[edit]

China

[edit]

This list of the 100 most common Chinese surnames derives from China's Ministry of Public Security's annual report on the top 100 surnames in China, with the latest report release in January 2020 for the year 2019.[9] When the 1982 Chinese census was first published, it did not include a list of top surnames. However, in 2004, the State Post Bureau subsequently used the census data to release a series of commemorative stamps in honor of the then-most-common surnames in 2004.[10][11]

The summary of the 2007 survey revealed China had approximately 92,881,000 Wangs (7.25% of the population), 92,074,000 Lees (7.19%), and 87,502,000 Zhangs (6.83%).[5]

A 2018 survey showed that Liu and Chen were the next most common China with more than 70 million each.[12]

These top five surnames – Wang, Lee(Li), Zhang, Liu, Chen – alone accounted for more people than Indonesia, the fourth most populous country in the world,[13] and their total number is around the population of the US, the third most populous country in the world.

The next five – Yang, Huang, Zhao, Wu, and Zhou – were each shared by more than 20 million Chinese. Twelve more – Xu, Sun, Ma, Zhu, Hu, Guo, He, Gao, Lin, Luo, Zheng, and Liang – were each shared by more than 10 million.

All together, the top hundred surnames accounted for 84.77% of China's population.[5][14] By way of comparison, the 2000 census found the most common surname in the United States – Smith – had fewer than 2.4 million occurrences and made up only 0.84% of the general population. The top 100 surnames accounted for only 16.4% of the US population,[3] and reaching 89.8% of the US population required more than 150,000 surnames.[2]

Surname list

[edit]
Notes
Other surveys
  • 2006 multi-year survey and study conducted by Yuan Yida, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences's Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, using a sample size of 296 million spread across 1,110 counties and cities and recording around 4,100 surnames.[15]
  • 1990: Ji Yuwen Publishing House, based on a sample size of 174,900.
  • 1987 study conducted by Yuan Yida with a sample size of 570,000.
  • 1977 study published by Li Dongming, a Chinese historian, as "Surname" (《姓》) in Dongfang Magazine.

400 character list

[edit]

In 2013 the Fuxi Institution compiled a ranking of the 400 most common surnames in China.[16]

400 most common surnames in China
Rank Name % of pop. No. (10,000's) Province with most
1 7.170% 9520.00 Henan
2 7.000% 9340.00 Henan
3 6.740% 8960.00 Henan
4 5.100% 6770.00 Shandong
5 4.610% 6130.00 Guangdong
6 3.220% 4270.00 Sichuan
7 2.450% 3260.00 Guangdong
8 2.000% 2680.00 Guangdong
9 2.000% 2670.00 Henan
10 1.900% 2520.00 Hunan
11 1.450% 1930.00 Jiangsu
12 1.380% 1830.00 Shandong
13 1.290% 1720.00 Henan
14 1.280% 1700.00 Jiangsu
15 1.160% 1550.00 Hubei
16 1.130% 1510.00 Guangdong
17 1.130% 1500.00 Henan
18 1.060% 1400.00 Sichuan
19 1.000% 1330.00 Shandong
20 0.950% 1260.00 Sichuan
21 0.930% 1240.00 Guangdong
22 0.850% 1130.00 Guangdong
23 0.760% 1010.00 Guangdong
24 0.700% 932.00 Shandong
25 0.690% 917.00 Hunan
26 0.660% 881.00 Guangdong
27 0.620% 821.00 Guangdong
28 0.620% 818.00 Guangdong
29 0.610% 815.00 Henan
30 0.600% 791.00 Henan
31 0.580% 772.00 Guangdong
32 0.580% 766.00 Hunan
33 0.560% 739.00 Hunan
34 0.530% 701.00 Guangdong
35 0.520% 687.00 Guangdong
36 0.520% 685.00 Henan
37 0.510% 677.00 Shandong
38 0.500% 667.00 Sichuan
39 0.480% 642.00 Shandong
40 0.480% 633.00 Hubei
41 0.480% 632.00 Guangdong
42 0.480% 632.00 Sichuan
43 0.470% 619.00 Henan
44 0.460% 606.00 Guangdong
45 0.450% 603.00 Henan
46 0.450% 601.00 Anhui
47 0.450% 596.00 Shandong
48 0.430% 576.00 Jiangsu
49 0.410% 550.00 Jiangsu
50 0.410% 547.00 Henan
51 0.400% 538.00 Jiangsu
52 0.400% 536.00 Guangdong
53 0.400% 536.00 Henan
54 0.400% 533.00 Guangdong
55 0.390% 523.00 Shandong
56 0.380% 509.00 Shandong
57 0.380% 499.00 Hunan
58 0.370% 487.00 Guangdong
59 0.360% 485.00 Henan
60 0.360% 483.00 Anhui
61 0.360% 480.00 Guangxi
62 0.350% 467.00 Zhejiang
63 0.340% 455.00 Henan
64 0.340% 449.00 Jiangsu
65 0.330% 439.00 Henan
66 0.320% 430.00 Guangxi
67 0.320% 426.00 Jiangsu
68 0.320% 423.00 Guangdong
69 0.310% 413.00 Anhui
70 0.300% 401.00 Henan
71 0.300% 394.00 Jiangxi
72 0.290% 384.00 Jiangxi
73 0.290% 383.00 Shandong
74 0.290% 379.00 Henan
75 0.280% 374.00 Hebei
76 0.280% 369.00 Guangdong
77 0.270% 360.00 Henan
78 0.260% 347.00 Jiangsu
79 0.260% 346.00 Hunan
80 0.240% 320.00 Henan
81 0.240% 319.00 Sichuan
82 0.220% 288.00 Guangdong
83 0.210% 285.00 Henan
84 0.210% 281.00 Hunan
85 0.210% 274.00 Anhui
86 0.210% 274.00 Hunan
87 0.200% 272.00 Jiangsu
88 0.200% 264.00 Zhejiang
89 0.200% 264.00 Hebei
90 0.200% 264.00 Hunan
91 0.200% 262.00 Shandong
92 0.190% 254.00 Jiangxi
93 0.190% 249.00 Jiangsu
94 0.190% 246.00 Jiangsu
95 0.180% 240.00 Guangdong
96 0.180% 240.00 Guangxi
97 0.180% 240.00 Taiwan
98 0.180% 239.00 Shanxi
99 0.180% 233.00 Guangxi
100 0.170% 231.00 Shandong
101 0.170% 227.00 Jiangsu
102 0.170% 226.00 Hunan
103 0.160% 218.00 Henan
104 0.160% 217.00 Guangdong
105 0.160% 211.00 Hebei
106 0.150% 206.00 Jiangsu
107 0.150% 204.00 Sichuan
108 0.150% 202.00 Henan
109 0.150% 200.00 Henan
110 0.150% 195.00 Jiangsu
111 0.140% 192.00 Shandong
112 0.130% 179.00 Hebei
113 0.130% 176.00 Hebei
114 0.130% 175.00 Hunan
115 0.130% 173.00 Henan
116 0.130% 171.00 Guangdong
117 0.130% 167.00 Guangxi
118 0.120% 164.00 Hunan
119 0.120% 163.00 Jiangsu
120 0.120% 162.00 Guangdong
121 0.120% 159.00 Jiangxi
122 0.120% 157.00 Zhejiang
123 0.110% 151.00 Henan
124 0.110% 149.00 Henan
125 0.110% 149.00 Henan
126 0.110% 147.00 Jiangsu
127 0.110% 147.00 Guangdong
128 0.110% 147.00 Henan
129 0.110% 146.00 Guangdong
130 0.110% 140.00 Henan
131 0.100% 137.00 Guangdong
132 0.100% 134.00 Sichuan
133 0.100% 133.00 Henan
134 0.100% 132.00 Zhejiang
135 0.100% 131.00 Henan
136 0.100% 129.00 Hubei
137 0.095% 126.00 Guangxi
138 0.090% 120.00 Zhejiang
139 0.087% 115.00 Inner Mongolia
140 0.083% 110.00 Guangxi
141 0.082% 109.00 Henan
142 0.082% 109.00 Hainan
143 0.082% 109.00 Hunan
144 0.082% 109.00 Guangdong
145 0.080% 106.00 Hubei
146 0.080% 106.00 Shandong
147 0.079% 105.00 Hubei
148 0.079% 105.00 Zhejiang
149 0.078% 103.00 Guangdong
150 0.078% 103.00 Shandong
151 0.076% 101.00 Jiangsu
152 0.076% 101.00 Jiangsu
153 0.076% 100.00 Henan
154 0.075% 100.00 Hebei
155 0.075% 100.00 Jiangxi
156 0.075% 100.00 Jiangsu
157 0.075% 100.00 Henan
158 0.075% 99.00 Henan
159 0.074% 98.00 Anhui
160 0.074% 98.00 Shandong
161 0.073% 97.00 Fujian
162 0.073% 97.00 Chongqing
163 0.073% 96.00 Guangdong
164 0.072% 96.00 Guangxi
165 0.072% 95.00 Henan
166 0.071% 94.00 Fujian
167 0.070% 92.00 Shandong
168 0.069% 92.00 Henan
169 欧阳 0.068% 91.00 Hunan
170 0.065% 87.00 Shandong
171 0.065% 86.00 Henan
172 0.062% 83.00 Guangxi
173 0.062% 82.00 Anhui
174 0.061% 82.00 Jiangsu
175 0.061% 81.00 Hunan
176 0.061% 80.00 Jiangsu
177 0.056% 75.00 Sichuan
178 0.056% 75.00 Shandong
179 0.055% 74.00 Shandong
180 0.055% 73.00 Shaanxi
181 0.055% 73.00 Jiangxi
182 0.053% 71.00 Shandong
183 0.053% 70.00 Sichuan
184 0.052% 69.00 Hubei
185 0.052% 68.00 Jiangsu
186 0.050% 67.00 Hunan
187 0.050% 67.00 Henan
188 0.048% 64.00 Guizhou
189 0.047% 62.00 Guangxi
190 0.044% 59.00 Henan
191 0.043% 58.00 Guangdong
192 0.043% 58.00 Guangdong
193 0.043% 58.00 Jiangsu
194 0.043% 57.00 Jiangsu
195 0.043% 57.00 Taiwan
196 0.043% 57.00 Shandong
197 0.043% 57.00 Zhejiang
198 0.043% 57.00 Fujian
199 0.042% 57.00 Henan
200 0.041% 55.00 Guangdong
201 0.041% 54.00 Shandong
202 0.040% 53.00 Henan
203 0.040% 53.00 Shandong
204 0.040% 53.00 Jiangsu
205 0.039% 52.00 Guangxi
206 0.039% 52.00 Shanxi
207 0.039% 52.00 Shaanxi
208 0.039% 52.00 Shandong
209 0.039% 51.00 Jiangsu
210 0.038% 51.00 Jiangsu
211 0.038% 50.00 Sichuan
212 0.038% 50.00 Jiangxi
213 0.036% 48.00 Henan
214 0.036% 48.00 Shanxi
215 0.035% 46.00 Hebei
216 0.035% 46.00 Jiangsu
217 0.034% 45.00 Jiangsu
218 0.033% 44.00 Hunan
219 0.033% 44.00 Anhui
220 0.033% 44.00 Hunan
221 0.033% 43.00 Liaoning
222 0.033% 43.00 Zhejiang
223 0.032% 43.00 Shandong
224 0.032% 43.00 Hubei
225 0.032% 43.00 Sichuan
226 0.032% 42.00 Zhejiang
227 0.032% 42.00 Hebei
228 0.032% 42.00 Jiangsu
229 0.032% 42.00 Henan
230 0.031% 41.00 Henan
231 0.031% 41.00 Yunnan
232 0.030% 40.00 Jiangsu
233 0.030% 40.00 Shandong
234 0.030% 40.00 Shandong
235 0.030% 39.00 Shandong
236 0.030% 39.00 Shandong
237 0.030% 39.00 Jiangsu
238 0.029% 38.00 Shandong
239 0.029% 38.00 Guangdong
240 0.029% 38.00 Henan
241 0.028% 37.00 Shandong
242 0.028% 37.00 Hebei
243 0.027% 36.00 Hebei
244 0.027% 36.00 Shandong
245 0.027% 35.00 Jiangsu
246 0.026% 35.00 Zhejiang
247 0.026% 35.00 Guizhou
248 0.026% 34.00 Shandong
249 0.026% 34.00 Hubei
250 0.025% 34.00 Hunan
251 0.025% 34.00 Fujian
252 0.025% 33.00 Anhui
253 0.025% 33.00 Zhejiang
254 0.025% 33.00 Hebei
255 0.024% 32.00 Shandong
256 0.024% 32.00 Guangdong
257 0.023% 31.00 Guangdong
258 0.023% 31.00 Jiangsu
259 0.023% 31.00 Jiangsu
260 0.023% 30.00 Hunan
261 0.230% 30.00 Shandong
262 0.022% 29.80 Shaanxi
263 0.022% 28.90 Shandong
264 0.022% 28.80 Jiangxi
265 0.021% 28.50 Hebei
266 0.021% 28.50 Jiangsu
267 0.021% 28.50 Sichuan
268 0.021% 27.70 Shaanxi
269 0.021% 27.30 Guangxi
270 0.021% 27.20 Anhui
271 0.020% 27.00 Shanxi
272 0.020% 26.60 Henan
273 0.020% 26.40 Shandong
274 0.020% 26.30 Henan
275 0.020% 26.30 Hubei
276 0.019% 25.90 Guangxi
277 0.019% 24.80 Hunan
278 0.017% 23.10 Jiangsu
279 0.017% 22.90 Hunan
280 0.017% 22.80 Hunan
281 0.017% 22.80 Guangdong
282 0.017% 22.80 Shandong
283 0.017% 22.80 Zhejiang
284 0.017% 22.50 Guangxi
285 0.016% 21.90 Shandong
286 0.016% 21.70 Anhui
287 0.016% 20.80 Henan
289 0.016% 20.60 Zhejiang
289 0.016% 20.60 Shandong
290 0.015% 20.00 Henan
291 0.015% 19.90 Guangdong
292 0.015% 19.80 Henan
293 0.015% 19.70 Ningxia
294 0.015% 19.60 Anhui
295 0.015% 19.50 Jiangsu
296 0.014% 19.10 Shaanxi
297 0.014% 19.00 Shaanxi
298 0.014% 19.00 Sichuan
299 0.014% 18.90 Zhejiang
300 0.014% 18.80 Henan
301 0.014% 18.70 Jilin
302 0.014% 18.60 Shandong
303 0.014% 18.50 Guangdong
304 0.014% 18.40 Henan
305 0.014% 18.20 Henan
306 0.013% 17.90 Shandong
307 0.013% 17.70 Hebei
308 0.013% 17.70 Sichuan
309 0.013% 17.70 Inner Mongolia
310 0.013% 17.60 Shandong
311 0.013% 17.30 Jiangsu
312 0.013% 17.20 Sichuan
313 0.013% 17.10 Shandong
314 0.013% 16.80 Jiangsu
315 0.013% 16.60 Henan
316 0.012% 16.50 Anhui
317 0.012% 16.50 Henan
318 0.012% 16.40 Zhejiang
319 0.012% 16.20 Henan
320 0.012% 16.20 Shandong
321 0.012% 15.90 Shandong
322 0.012% 15.90 Shandong
323 0.012% 15.60 Inner Mongolia
324 0.012% 15.40 Guangdong
325 0.011% 15.0 Sichuan
326 0.011% 14.80 Zhejiang
327 0.011% 14.70 Henan
328 0.011% 14.60 Henan
329 0.011% 14.60 Jiangsu
330 0.011% 14.60 Shandong
331 0.011% 14.50 Yunnan
332 0.011% 14.50 Fujian
333 0.011% 14.40 Jiangsu
334 0.011% 14.40 Jiangsu
335 0.011% 14.30 Sichuan
336 鹿 0.011% 14.00 Shandong
337 0.011% 14.00 Shandong
338 0.011% 13.90 Hebei
339 0.010% 13.90 Sichuan
340 0.010% 13.80 Sichuan
341 0.010% 13.60 Hainan
342 0.010% 13.60 Inner Mongolia
343 0.010% 13.50 Inner Mongolia
344 0.010% 13.50 Sichuan
345 0.010% 13.40 Zhejiang
346 0.010% 13.40 Shandong
347 0.010% 13.30 Shandong
348 0.010% 13.00 Guizhou
349 0.010% 12.80 Liaoning
350 0.010% 12.80 Jiangsu
351 0.0094% 12.40 Chongqing
352 0.0093% 12.40 Inner Mongolia
353 宿 0.0093% 12.30 Shandong
354 0.0092% 12.20 Sichuan
355 0.0091% 12.10 Jiangsu
356 0.0091% 12.10 Shandong
357 0.0090% 12.00 Hunan
358 0.0090% 11.90 Henan
359 0.0089% 11.80 Zhejiang
360 0.0088% 11.70 Shandong
361 0.0086% 11.50 Gansu
362 0.0084% 11.20 Jiangxi
363 0.0084% 11.20 Guangxi
364 0.0084% 11.10 Guangxi
365 0.0083% 11.00 Henan
366 0.0082% 10.90 Jiangsu
367 0.0082% 10.90 Shandong
368 0.0081% 10.70 Inner Mongolia
369 0.0079% 10.50 Hunan
370 0.0077% 10.20 Guangxi
371 0.0076% 10.10 Jiangsu
372 0.0076% 10.10 Sichuan
373 0.0076% 10.10 Jiangsu
374 0.0076% 10.00 Guangdong
375 0.0074% 9.90 Jiangsu
376 0.0074% 9.80 Inner Mongolia
377 0.0074% 9.80 Jiangsu
378 0.0073% 9.60 Jiangxi
379 0.0072% 9.60 Zhejiang
380 0.0072% 9.50 Sichuan
381 0.0071% 9.50 Shanxi
382 0.0071% 9.40 Qinghai
383 0.0070% 9.30 Inner Mongolia
384 0.0069% 9.20 Henan
385 0.0068% 9.10 Jiangsu
386 0.0068% 9.00 Anhui
387 0.0067% 9.00 Shandong
388 0.0067% 8.90 Shandong
389 0.0067% 8.90 Shandong
390 0.0067% 8.90 Shanxi
391 0.0066% 8.70 Sichuan
392 0.0065% 8.70 Henan
393 0.0065% 8.60 Chongqing
394 0.0064% 8.50 Hunan
395 0.0064% 8.50 Guangdong
396 0.0063% 8.40 Jiangsu
397 0.0063% 8.40 Liaoning
398 0.0060% 8.00 Jiangxi
399 0.0060% 8.00 Guangxi
400 0.0060% 8.00 Shandong

Taiwan

[edit]

According to a comprehensive survey of residential permits released by the Taiwanese Ministry of the Interior's Department of Population in 2016, Taiwan has only 1,503 surnames.[6] The top ten surnames in Taiwan accounted for 52.77% of the general population, and the top 100 accounted for 96.56%.

Rank Character Romanizations % of total pop.
Mandarin Min Nan Hakka Cantonese
2016 Trad. Simp. Wade Pinyin POJ Other PFS Other Jyutping HK Other
1 Ch'en2 Chén Tân Tan Chin Thin Can4 Chan Chin 11.14%
2 Lin2 Lín Lîm Lim
Liem
Lim Lim Lam4 Lam Lum 8.31%
3 Huang2 Huáng Ng Eng
Ung
Uy
Wee
Vòng Wong
Bong
Wong4 Wong Wang
Vang
Wung
6.05%
4 Chang1 Zhāng Tiuⁿ Teo
Teoh
Thio
Tiew
Chông Chong Zoeng1 Cheung Chong
Cheong
5.27%
5 Li3 Lee
Dee
Lee Lei5 Lee
Li
Lei
Ly
5.13%
6 Wang2 Wáng Ông Heng
Bong
Vòng Wong Wong4 Wong Vang Wung 4.11%
7 Wu2 Gô͘
Ngô͘
Goh
Gouw
Ǹg Ng Ng4 Ng Ung
Eng
4.04%
8 Liu2 Liú Lâu Lao Liù Liew Lau4 Lau Lao 3.16%
9 Ts'ai4 Cài Chhoà Chua
Choa
Tjoa
Chhai Chai
Choi
Coi3 Choi Choy
Tsoi
Toy
2.91%
10 Yang2 Yáng Iûⁿ Eaw
Joe
Nyo
Yong
Yòng Yong
Yeong
Joeng4 Yeung Yeong
Ieong
2.66%
11 Hsü3 Khó͘ Ko
Koh
Hi Hee Heoi2 Hui Hoi
12 Cheng4 Zhèng Tīⁿ
Tēⁿ
Teh Chhang Chang Zeng6 Cheng Cheang
Chiang
13 Hsieh4 Xiè Chiā
Siā
Cheah
Seah
Tshia Cheah Ze6 Tse Che
14 Hung2 Hóng Âng
Hông
Ang
Hong
Fùng Fung Hung4 Hung Huhng
15 Kuo1 Guō Koeh Kueh Kwok Kok Gwok3 Kwok Kuok
16 Ch'iu1 Qiū Khu Khoo
Kho
Hiû
Khiû
Hew
Khew
Jau1 Yau Iao
Iau
17 Tseng1 Zēng Chan Tsên Chen Zang1 Tsang Chang
Dong
18 Liao4 Liào Liāu Leow
Liow
Liau Lieu Liu6 Liu Lew
Leow
Lio
19 Lai4 Lài Lōa Nai Lài Laai6 Lay Lai
20 Hsü2 Chhî Chee
Jee
Ji
Chhì Chi Ceoi4 Tsui Choi
Chui
Tsua
21 Chou1 Zhōu Chiu Chew Chiû Cher
Chiew
Zau1 Chow
Chau
Jao
Chao
22 Yeh4 Ia̍p Yap Yap Jip6 Yip Ip
Yeap
23 Su1 So͘ Soh Soo Sou1 So Sou
24 Chuang1 Zhuāng Chong Cheng Chông Zong Zong1 Tsong Chong
Jong
25 3

Līr
Lee
Leu
Loo
Lee Leoi5 Lui Loi
26 Chiang1 Jiāng Kang Kông Kong Gong1 Kong
27 2
Ho2
Ho
Hou
Ho Ho4 Ho Hoe
28 Hsiao1 Xiāo Siau
Sio
Seow
Siow
Siâu Siaw
Siew
Siu1 Siu
Shiu
Sio
29 Lo2 Luó Lo
Law
Law
Lo
Loh
Lo4 Lo Law
Loh
Lowe
Lor
30 Kao1 Gāo Ko Koh
Kau
Koo Gou1
Ko Kou
Go
Other surveys
  • 1994–2011: The American researcher Chih-Hao Tsai has compiled unauthoritative annual surveys of the most common surnames on Taiwan[17] based on published lists of all successful applicants taking Taiwan's Joint College Entrance Exam.[18] The test was mandatory for college entrance until 2002 and is still quite common, with more than a hundred thousand successful applicants a year and a pass rate for all test takers between 60 and 90%.[18]

Philippines

[edit]

Chinese Filipinos whose ancestors came to the Philippines from 1898 onward usually have single syllable Chinese surnames. On the other hand, most who have Chinese ancestors who came to the Philippines prior to 1898 usually have multiple-syllable Chinese surnames such as Gokongwei, Ongpin, Pempengco, Yuchengco, Teehankee, and Yaptinchay among such others. These were originally full Chinese names which were transliterated in Spanish orthography and adopted as surnames.

Common Chinese Filipino surnames are: Tan/Chan (陳/陈), Dy/Dee/Lee/Li (), Sy/See/Siy/Sze (), Lim/Lam (), Chua/Choa/Choi (), Yap/Ip (葉/叶), Co/Ko/Kho (許/许), Ko/Gao/Caw (), Ho/Haw/Hau/Caw (), Cua/Kua/Co/Kho/Ko (), Coo/Khoo/Kho/Cu/Kuh (), Go/Ngo/Wu (吳/吴), Ong/Wong (), Ang/Hong/Hung (), Lao (劉/刘), Tiu/Cheung (張/张), Yu/Young (楊/杨), Auyong/Awyoung (歐陽/欧阳), Ng/Uy/Wee/Hong/Wong/Huang (), Tiu/Chiu/Chio/Chu (趙/赵), Chu/Chiu/Chow (), King (), Chan (), Ty/Tee (鄭/郑), Ching/Cheng/Chong (莊/庄), Que/Cue/Kwok (), Leong/Liong/Leung (), etc.

There are also multiple-syllable Chinese surnames that are Spanish transliterations of Hokkien words. Surnames like Tuazon (Eldest Grandson, 大孫), Dizon (Second Grandson, 二孫), Samson/Sanson (Third Grandson, 三孫), Sison (Fourth Grandson, 四孫), Gozon/Goson/Gozum (Fifth Grandson, 五孫), Lacson (Sixth Grandson, 六孫), Tecson/Tiocson/Teoxon (Seventh Grandson, 德孫/蒂奥森/东阳顺) and Sioson (Eight Grandson, 西奥森) are examples of transliterations of designations that use the Hokkien suffix -son (孫) used as surnames for some Chinese Filipinos who trace their ancestry from Chinese immigrants to the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period. The surname "Son/Sun" (孫) is listed in the classic Chinese text Hundred Family Surnames, perhaps shedding light on the Hokkien suffix -son used here as a surname alongside some sort of accompanying enumeration scheme.

Rank

(2020)[19][20]

Name Character(s) Total Number

(2020)[19]

1 Tan 123,290
2 Dizon 106,507
3 Lim 96,874
4 Samson 66,516
5 Sison 57,840
6 Chua 51,380
7 Uy 47,832
8 Ong 39,649
9 Yap 37,703
10 Go 37,354
11 Tuazon 36,543
12 Cinco 新哥 29,718
13 Sy 28,038
14 Yu 27,732
15 Sayson /西 26,833
16 Quiambao / 25,555
17 Chan , 24,835
18 Cuizon / 23,732
19 Ang 23,341
20 Tecson 22,679

Canada

[edit]

Statistics Canada has not released a list of common surnames for any of its recent censuses, but much of the Canadian Chinese population is clustered in Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria in British Columbia and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and the Ottawa-Gatineau Area in Ontario, as well as in some emerging major clusters, such as the Calgary–Edmonton Corridor in Alberta, Montreal, and the Communauté métropolitaine de Québec (Quebec Community Metropolitan Area) in Quebec.

Ontario

[edit]

A 2010 study by Baiju Shah & al data-mined the Registered Persons Database of Canadian health card recipients in the province of Ontario for a particularly Chinese-Canadian name list. Ignoring potentially non-Chinese spellings such as Lee (49,898 total),[21]: Table 1  they found that the most common Chinese names in Ontario were:[21]

Rank Name Total Number Character(s) Romanization
Trad. Simp.
1 Wong 34,567 Wáng, Wong
Huáng, Hwang, Hawang, Whang, Whong
Wāng, Wong, Wung
2 Chan 32,692 Chan, Chén
3 Li 27,608 Ly, Lee, Lei, Lǐ
Lai, Ly, Lee, Lei, Lí
4 Chen 25,618 Chan, Chén
5 Wang 22,548 Wáng, Wong
Wāng, Wong
6 Liu 18,784 Lau, Liew, Liú, Low
Lau, Lew, Liào, Lieu, Liew, Liu
7 Zhang 18,003 Chang, Chong, Chung, Cheung, Teo, Zhāng, Zheung
8 Lam 15,910 Lam, Lín
Lán
9 Leung 13,696 Leung, Liáng
10 Ho 12,830 Hé, Ho
Hè, Ho

Indonesia

[edit]

Nearly as large is the Chinese Indonesian community. The 2010 Indonesian census reported more than 2.8 million self-identified Chinese, or about 1% of the general population.[22] Just as in Thailand, though, previous legislation (in this case, 127/U/Kep/12/1966) had banned ethnic Chinese surnames throughout the country. This law was abolished after the removal of Suharto, but Chinese Indonesian names remain a mix of Indonesian, pinyin, peh-oe-ji, and Dutch-spelled Hokkien.

Malaysia

[edit]

During the 2010 Malaysian Census, there were approximately 6,960,000 Malaysians of Chinese ethnicity.[23] The Chinese are the second largest ethnicity in Malaysia, after the Malays.

Singapore

[edit]
Chinese Singaporean surnames by frequency:

Ethnic Chinese make up almost three-fourths (2009) of Singapore's resident population of nearly four million (2011).

2000

[edit]

According to Statistics Singapore, as of the year 2000, the most common Chinese Singaporean names were:[24]

Rank Name Origin Total Number
(2000)
%
(Chinese population)
Character(s) Pinyin Other Forms Notes
Trad. Simp.
1 Tan Hokkien
Teochew
Hainanese
237,800 9.5 Chén Chan for Cantonese, Chin for Hakka
2 Lim Hokkien
Teochew
Hainanese
Hakka
166,000 6.6 Lín
3 Lee Hokkien
Teochew
Cantonese
Hainanese
Hakka
112,600 4.5
4 Ng Hokkien
Teochew
106,200 4.2 Huáng
Hakka
Cantonese
5 Ong Hokkien 66,700 2.7 Wáng
Wāng
6 Wong Cantonese
Hainanese
Hakka
65,000 2.6 Wáng
Wāng
Huáng
7 Goh Hokkien
Teochew
56,200 2.2
8 Chua Hokkien
Teochew
54,600 2.2 Cài
9 Chan Cantonese 48,400 1.9 Chén
Hokkien
Teochew
Zēng
10 Koh Hokkien
Teochew
48,100 1.9
11 Teo Hokkien
Teochew
46,800 1.9 Zhāng
12 Ang Hokkien
Teochew
43,600 1.7 Hóng
Hokkien Wēng
13 Yeo Hokkien
Teochew
36,600 1.5 Yáng
Yáo
14 Tay Hokkien
Teochew
35,800 1.4 Zhèng
15 Ho Hokkien
Teochew
Cantonese
Hakka
Hainanese
35,000 1.4
16 Low Teochew
Hokkien
31,600 1.3 Liú
17 Toh Teochew
Hokkien
25,300 1.0
Zhuó
18 Sim Teochew
Hokkien
23,800 0.9 Shěn
19 Chong Hakka 23,100 0.9 Zhāng
Cantonese
Hakka
Zhuāng
Zhōng
20 Chia Hokkien
Teochew
Hakka
22,600 0.9 Xiè
  • As most Singaporeans of Chinese descent have ancestors which originated from Southern China, mainly from Fujian, Guangdong and Hainan, the distribution of surnames in Singapore is quite different from that of Mainland China.
  • As there are a variety of dialect[dubiousdiscuss] groups in Singapore, the same surname in Chinese characters may be romanised in several different ways in Singapore. Some less common Chinese transcriptions of the 20 most common romanised surnames may not be listed in the table above.

Newer version

[edit]

There is a newer list of most common surnames in Singapore from an unknown year.[25] Some numbers are missing as the original list contains several non-Chinese surnames, which have been excluded from the table below.

Rank Name Origin Total Number Character(s) Pinyin
Trad. Simp.
1 Tan Hokkien
Teochew
Hainanese
276,329 Chén
2 Lim Hokkien
Teochew
Hainanese
Hakka
196,492 Lín
3 Lee Hokkien
Teochew
Cantonese
Hainanese
Hakka
151,278
4 Ng Hokkien
Teochew
125,122 Huáng
Hakka
Cantonese
5 Wong Cantonese
Hainanese
Hakka
90,861 Wáng
Wāng
Huáng
6 Ong Hokkien 80,354 Wáng
Wāng
7 Goh Hokkien
Teochew
72,248
8 Chan Cantonese 69,355 Chén
Hokkien
Teochew
Zēng
9 Chua Hokkien
Teochew
67,321 Cài
10 Koh Hokkien
Teochew
61,941
11 Teo Hokkien
Teochew
59,487 Zhāng
Zhào
12 Ang Hokkien
Teochew
52,131 Hóng
Hokkien Wēng
13 Ho Hokkien
Teochew
Cantonese
Hakka
Hainanese
50,949
14 Tay Hokkien
Teochew
49,438 Zhèng
15 Yeo Hokkien
Teochew
48,889 Yáng
Yáo
16 Low Teochew
Hokkien
43,122 Liú
Luó
Luò
17 Chong Hakka 41,552 Zhāng
Cantonese
Hakka
Zhuāng
Zhōng
18 Chen Mandarin 35,895 Chén
Hakka Zēng
19 Leong Cantonese
Hakka
32,898 Liáng
Teochew Lóng
20 Loh Hokkien
Teochew
Cantonese
Hakka
Hainanese
32,808 Luó
Luò
21 Chia Hokkien
Teochew
Hakka
32,718 Xiè
22 Sim Hokkien
Teochew
Hainanese
Hakka
32,621 Shěn
23 Chew Hokkien
Teochew
Hainanese
Hakka
31,051 Zhōu
Cantonese Zhào
24 Wang Mandarin 28,888 Wáng
Wāng
25 Yap Hokkien
Teochew
Hainanese
Hakka
28,636
26 Toh Teochew
Hokkien
28,268
Zhuó
27 Li Mandarin 26,363
28 Wee Hokkien
Hainanese
25,278 Huáng
29 Tang Teochew 24,548 Chén
Hokkien
Teochew
Dèng
Mandarin Táng
Tāng
30 Yong Cantonese
Hakka
24,503 Yáng
31 Foo Hainanese 24,438
Hakka
32 Soh Hokkien
Teochew
Cantonese
23,818
34 Chin Hakka 23,211 Chén
Cantonese Qián
35 Lin Mandarin 23,056 Lín
36 Chng Teochew
Hokkien
21,339 Zhuāng
37 Lau Teochew
Hokkien
Cantonese
21,047 Liú
38 Zhang Mandarin 19,549 Zhāng
39 Cheng Cantonese 19,401 Zhèng
Teochew
Hokkien
Zhōng
Mandarin Chéng
40 Choo Hokkien
Teochew
19,181 Zhū
41 Liu Mandarin 18,374 Liú
42 Lai 18,303
Lài
43 Cheong Cantonese 17,993 Zhāng
Jiǎng
44 Chee Hokkien 17,870
45 Heng Teochew 17,631 Wáng
46 Quek Teochew
Hokkien
17,418 Guō
47 Peh Teochew
Hokkien
16,845 Bái
48 Khoo Teochew
Hokkien
16,572 Qīu
49 Poh Hokkien 16,527
50 Seah Teochew
Hokkien
16,197 Xiè
Shé
52 Pang Teochew
Hokkien
15,778 Féng
Páng
Péng
53 Huang Mandarin 15,519 Huáng
54 Liew Hakka 14,906 Liú
55 Yang Mandarin
Cantonese
14,809 Yáng
56 Neo Teochew
Hokkien
14,550 Liáng
57 Lam Teochew
Hokkien
Hakka
Cantonese
13,640 Lán
Cantonese Lín
58 Chang 13,252
59 Gan Hokkien 13,130 Yán
60 Han Mandarin 12,962 Hán
61 Song Mandarin 12,878 Sòng
62 Wu Mandarin 12,839
63 Hong Mandarin
Cantonese
12,645 Hóng
64 Chow Cantonese 12,096 Zhōu
Teochew
Hokkien
Cáo
Hakka Zhào
65 Kok Cantonese 11,903 Guō
66 Tham Hokkien
Teochew
Cantonese
Hakka
Hainanese
11,715 Tán
67 Ling Eastern Min 11,321 Lín
Líng
68 Wei 11,276 Wèi
69 See 11,063 Shī
Teochew
Hokkien
Xuē
70 Oh Teochew
Hokkien
10,617
72 Yu 10,475
73 Seet Teochew
Hokkien
Cantonese
10,361 Xuē
74 Fong 10,346 Fāng
75 Loo 10,340 Luó
76 Kong Cantonese 9,642 Jiāng
Mandarin Kǒng
78 Phua Teochew
Hokkien
9,545 Pān
79 Yee 9,487
80 Seow 9,442 Xiāo
81 Teng 9,339
82 Xu Mandarin 8,822
84 Kang 8,292 Jiāng
Kāng
85 Tong 8,150 Dǒng
Cantonese Táng
Tóng
86 Leow Hokkien
Teochew
8,021 Liào
87 Chai Cantonese
Hakka
7,950 Cài
88 Teh Teochew
Hokkien
7,711 Zhèng
89 Png Teochew
Hokkien
7,687 Fāng
90 Soon Hokkien
Cantonese
7,608 Sūn
91 Wan 7,498 Yuán
92 Tee Teochew
Hokkien
7,466 Zhèng
93 Hui Cantonese 7,272
94 Yip Cantonese 7,220
95 Woo Cantonese 7,123
96 Liang Mandarin 7,098 Liáng
97 Chung Cantonese 6,923 Zhèng
98 Lu Mandarin 6,910
100 Soo Hakka 6,568
101 Aw Hakka 6,381
103 Boon Teochew
Hokkien
6,368 Wén
105 Yan Mandarin 6,355 Yán
106 Zhou Mandarin 6,265 Zhōu
107 Ting Eastern Min 6,232 Chén
Dīng
108 Kee 6,226
109 Seng Teochew
Hokkien
Cantonese
6,135 Chéng
110 Sun Mandarin 6,103 Sūn
111 Kwok Cantonese
Hakka
6,103 Guo
112 Ooi Hainanese 6,064 Huáng
113 Kim 6,026 Jīn
115 Yew Teochew
Hokkien
5,748 Yáng
Yóu
116 Su Mandarin 5,735
117 Zheng 5,677 Zhèng
118 Law 5,593 Liú
119 Loke 5,490
120 Poon Cantonese 5,418 Pān
121 Chiang 5,406 Jiǎng
122 Hu 5,380
123 Zhao Mandarin 5,373 Zhào
124 Peng Mandarin 5,315 Péng
125 Lum Teochew
Hokkien
Hakka
Cantonese
5,315 Lán
Cantonese Lín
126 Ching 5,263
127 Kwan 5,192 Guān
128 Ee 5,154
129 Kwek Teochew
Hokkien
5,147 Guō
130 Mok 5,089

Thailand

[edit]

The largest Chinese diaspora community in the world are the Chinese Thais (or Sino-Thais), who make up 12–14%[26][27] of the total Thai population. However, very few of the Chinese Thais have Chinese surnames, after the 1913 Surname Act that required the adoption of Thai surnames in order to enjoy Thai citizenship. Moreover, the same law requires that those possessing the same surname be related, meaning that immigrant Chinese may not adopt the surname of their clansmen unless they can show actual kinship.

United States

[edit]

The 2010 US Census found 3,794,673 self-identified Chinese Americans and 230,382 self-identified Taiwanese Americans,[28] up from 2,734,841 Chinese Americans and 144,795 Taiwanese Americans in 2000.[29]

Although the Chinese make up the largest segment of the U.S. Asian and Pacific Islander population,[30] the most common Chinese-derived surname during the 2000 census was not itself Chinese but the Vietnamese Nguyễn (Chinese: , Ruǎn).[3]

During the 2000 census, the 10 most common Chinese American names were:[note 1]

Rank Name Ethnicity
[31]
Total Number
(2000 census; API only)
Character(s) Pinyin
Among
API
Across
All Names
Trad. Simp.
2 24 Lee Chinese 229,200
Korean
6 262 Chen Chinese 100,700 Chén
7 279 Wong Chinese
(Cantonese)
88,000 Wáng
Huáng
Wāng
9 399 Yang Chinese
(Mandarin)
69,000 Yáng
10 440 Wang Chinese 63,800 Wáng
Wāng
11 426 Chang Chinese 62,900 Zhāng
Cháng
12 461 Chan Chinese
(Cantonese)
59,800 Chén
14 521 Li Chinese 55,700
17 626 Lin Chinese 47,000 Lín
18 652 Liu Chinese 45,500 Liú
Liào
Other surveys
  • 2002: study by Matthew Falkenstein, data-mining the 2000 US Census for a particularly Asian & Pacific Islander name list,[32] omitting those like Lee that are common among other ethnicities
  • 2000: study by Diane Lauderdale, et al., data-mining Social Security card applications by persons born abroad before 1941 for a particularly Chinese-American name list[31]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Other popular Asian & Pacific Islander names are the Vietnamese names Nguyen (#1), Tran (#5), Le (#8), and Pham (#13); the Korean names Kim (#3) and Park (#15); and the Indian names Patel (#4) and Singh (#16).

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "我国汉族公民最长姓名达15字 公安部:起名不规范会有不便" [My Country's Han Citizens' Longest Name Reaches 15 Characters.]. Xinhua Net (in Chinese). 12 December 2007. Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b Word, David L. & al. "Demographic Aspects of Surnames from Census 2000" Archived 2010-10-13 at the Wayback Machine. 26 June 2001. Accessed 3 February 2012.
  3. ^ a b c United States Census Bureau. "Genealogy Data: Frequently Occurring Surnames from Census 2000" Archived 2009-12-21 at the Wayback Machine. 27 September 2011. Accessed 29 March 2012.
  4. ^ Prest, Kevin. "X三Y四: Similar Chinese Idioms (Chengyu)" Archived 2011-03-10 at the Wayback Machine. 4 March 2011. Accessed 5 April 2012.
  5. ^ a b c "公安部统计:'王'成中国第一大姓 有9288万人" Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine [Public Security Bureau Statistics: 'Wang' Found China's #1 'Big Family', Includes 92.88m People]. 24 April 2007. Accessed 27 March 2012.(in Chinese)
  6. ^ a b 全國姓名統計分析. Ministry of the Interior, R.O.C. (Taiwan). 2016. ISBN 9789860503043. Archived from the original on 16 December 2017.
  7. ^ McFarlan, Donald. 1990 Guinness Book of World Records. Sterling Pub. Co., 2001. ISBN 189205101X.
  8. ^ Beijing News. "一个“张伟”找到29万人" Archived 2007-09-14 at the Wayback Machine [One Name 'Zhang Wei' Covers 290,000 People]. 26 July 2007. Accessed 16 March 2012. (in Chinese)
  9. ^ "透过《二〇一九年全国姓名报告》,看我国的姓名文化及其发展_名字". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  10. ^ People's Daily Online. "China issues first set of stamps of Chinese family names" Archived 2012-02-29 at the Wayback Machine. 19 November 2004. Accessed 28 March 2012.
  11. ^ 挑灯看剑 踏雪寻梅. "新'百家姓'图腾,快来看看您的尊姓啥模样" Archived 2012-04-01 at Wikiwix [The New Hundred Family Surnames's Totems: Quick, Come Look at Your Honorable Surname's Picture]. 12 December 2011. Accessed 28 March 2012. (in Chinese)
  12. ^ "公安部发布去年全国姓名报告,"王、李、张"姓排前三" 公安部发布去年全国姓名报告,“王、李、张”姓排前三. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  13. ^ Badan Pusat Statistik. "Population of Indonesia by Province 1971, 1980, 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2010" Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine. 2009. Accessed 29 March 2012.
  14. ^ Lafraniere, Sharon (21 April 2009). "Name Not on Our List? Change It, China Says". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 15 August 2017.
  15. ^ "人口数据统计". Archived from the original on 21 April 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  16. ^ Yuan Yida (袁义达), Qiu Jiaru, 邱家儒. 中国四百大姓. Beijing Book Co. Inc., 1 January 2013
  17. ^ Tsai, Chih-Hao. "Common Chinese Names" Archived 2014-10-18 at the Wayback Machine. 8 August 2011. Accessed 30 March 2012.
  18. ^ a b Tsai, Chih-Hao. "A List of Chinese Names" Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine. 8 August 2011. Accessed 30 March 2012.
  19. ^ a b "Philippines Genealogical Resources". Forebears.
  20. ^ "Philippines Genealogical Resources". Forebears. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016.
  21. ^ a b Shah, B. R.; Chiu, M.; Amin, S.; Ramani, M.; Sadry, S.; Tu, J. V. (2010). "Surname lists to identify South Asian and Chinese ethnicity from secondary data in Ontario, Canada: A validation study". BMC Medical Research Methodology. 10: 42. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-10-42. PMC 2877682. PMID 20470433.
  22. ^ Kewarganegaraan, Suku Bangsa, Agama dan Bahasa Sehari-hari Penduduk Indonesia Hasil Sensus Penduduk 2010. Badan Pusat Statistik. 2011. ISBN 9789790644175. Archived from the original on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  23. ^ "Population and Housing Census, Malaysia 2010 (2010 Census)". Malaysia: Department of Statistics, Malaysia. 2010. Archived from the original on 24 August 2011. Retrieved 4 April 2011. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  24. ^ Statistics Singapore. "Popular Chinese Surnames in Singapore".
  25. ^ "Singaporean Surnames - most common family names from Singapore".
  26. ^ US State Department. "Background Note: Thailand". 3 January 2012. Accessed 4 April 2012.
  27. ^ US Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook. "Thailand" . 20 March 2012. Accessed 4 April 2012.
  28. ^ United States Census Bureau. "QT-P8" . Race Reporting for the Asian Population by Selected Categories: 2010 2010. Census Summary File 1. 2010. Accessed 3 April 2012.
  29. ^ United States Census Bureau. "The Asian Population: 2000" Archived 2010-06-01 at the Wayback Machine. February 2002. Accessed 3 April 2012.
  30. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census 2000: Chinese Largest Asian Group in the United States" Archived 2017-01-18 at the Wayback Machine. 4 March 2002. Accessed 29 March 2012.
  31. ^ a b Lauderdale, Diane S.; et al. (2000). "Asian American ethnic identification by surname" (PDF). Population Research and Policy Review. 19 (3): 283–300. doi:10.1023/A:1026582308352. S2CID 151050659. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 January 2013..
  32. ^ Falkenstein, Matthew R. "The Asian & Pacific Islander surname list: as developed from Census 2000" Archived 2013-03-07 at the Wayback Machine. Joint Statistical Meetings 2002. (New York), 2002.
[edit]